Misdirection
by DeadPigeon
Summary: What you don't know can't hurt you.  For Castle and Beckett, it might actually help.
1. The Meeting

**The Meeting**

The small round wooden dining table in Lanie's apartment was crowded with people.  
Sitting in its four matching chairs were Captain Montgomery, Martha, Lanie and James  
Patterson. Alexis was sitting on a short footstool pulled up to the table, her head poised  
above its edge. Detective Ryan stood, arms folded across his chest; while Esposito  
leaned casually against a wall behind Lanie.

"You really think we can pull this off?" Ryan asked, looking down at Martha.

"Yes, I believe we can." she replied, "Especially with James' help."

Everyone looked over at James Patterson, renowned author and Rick Castle's poker  
buddy. He had been the last to arrive at Lanie's place, and he was still unsure as to why  
he had been asked to come. Martha had called him, rambling on about Castle being  
in some sort of trouble and needing his help. The pleading in her voice and his  
friendship with Castle had him agreeing to meet her here, but for what?

All eyes were on him. Uneasily, he looked over at Martha. "I don't even know why I'm here!"

"Sorry James," she apologized, "We need someone with the imagination and the  
attention to detail to help orchestrate a plan."

"A plan for what?" He inquired, still not knowing what they wanted from him.

"We need your help to come up with a plan to bring Richard and Kate together."

Everyone around the table erupted at once.

"They're driving us nuts!" Esposito was the first to speak out.

"Yeah" Ryan agreed. "…the way they sit at her desk and finish each others sentences and  
share each others food…"

"…..and he brings her coffee every day and follows her around like a puppy dog…" Esposito rejoined.

"…they act like they don't even have a clue….the whole precinct knows, but do they…nooo!" Ryan continued.

"And my dad wonders around the house every evening like he's looking for something he lost."  
Alexis hurriedly added to the mix.

"And I'm tired of her coming into my lab and sayin' "NO" whenever I ask her if she wants to talk about it.  
She can't go on keeping it bottled up inside her, ain't natural. Womans gonna keel over dead before she's forty."  
Lanie said, slapping the table for emphasis.

Captain Montgomery broke in last.

"And I can't stand the tension between them in the office. His reasons for staying and hers for letting him  
are getting pretty thin. Lately I've been thinking of ways for the department to hire Castle so they won't  
have to keep making things up."

James sat there, marveling at the intensity of their "situation". The only thing he could do after listening to  
them was laugh.

They all looked at him, mortified! He realized this was not the reaction they expected.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It's just that, it wasn't clear as to why I was here. I thought something was seriously wrong."

"This is serious!" Martha insisted. "You don't have to live with this on a daily basis; you don't know what it's like for us."

"Oh, I think I have a clue….the way he always goes on about her at our weekly poker games..she made me  
wait in the car…she won't give me a gun…she about pulled my ear off. Ladies and gentlemen, I think he doth  
protest too much."

This being said, everyone relaxed.

"So," he asked. "Do you have any ideas for me to work with or should I just start from scratch?"

The captain spoke up. "Well, we asked ourselves what situation at work would put the two of them together for  
a long amount of time, and all we could come up with was a stake out."

"A stake out...hmmm." the author pondered aloud. "Not very romantic, too much of a 'Buddy Cop' situation to ever  
amount to anything.

"Yeah," Ryan agreed. "We couldn't see it going anywhere either."

"Here's what I propose." James put forth as he leaned onto the table. "Give me a week to come up with a plan,  
flesh out the scenario, write the parts, and then we'll meet back here next Sunday. Agreed?" Everyone nodded  
in agreement.

"Well then," said James, quoting a well known fictional character "The games afoot!"


	2. The Set Up

**The Set Up**

"Detective Beckett!" Captain Montgomery called out into the squad room.

"Coming sir." Beckett pushed away from her desk and headed to the captains office.

"Have a seat." he offered

"What can I do for you, sir?"

"The state police out in Oneida county called this morning. It seems half their force is out  
with the flu. They asked if they could borrow a couple of detectives for a few days of  
undercover work. And since I pulled you off rotation a week ago to try and force you into  
taking your vacation, which didn't seem to work I might add, I might as well let someone  
get some use out of you."

"Sir…I can't leave I…,"she started to protest.

He cut her off. "You can't what, follow orders?" "You're off rotation; you have nothing on  
your board; Ryan and Esposito are on vacation, like I asked, so that leaves you."

"Yes sir" she acquiesced.

"So," the captain continued. "Here's the situation. The supply of drugs in and around Oneida  
county has increased by twenty percent over the last year. The states investigation has led  
to a possible distribution point for said drugs. The planned undercover op is to get inside  
and do a little snooping, nothing dangerous, just look, listen, and gather enough intel for a  
probable cause warrant."

"Sounds simple enough," she said. "What's the place?"

Shuffling through papers strewn across his desk, the captain pulled out a smal folded pamphlet  
and handed it to Beckett. "It's called Fairfield Mountain Center. It's up near Utica."

"Sounds like some kind of rehab center." She said as she gave the pamphlet a quick glance.

"It is…of sorts."

"What do you mean...of sorts?" she asked

"It's a rehab center for couples with marital problems."

"With what?" she asked.

"Marital problems. You know the main reason people get divorced," he explained.

"I know what marital problems are, sir. I just didn't know they had rehab for that."

"Well now you do."

"Sir, if this retreat is for couples that means…"

"You're going to have a partner." he finished.

"Great."

"What?" he asked

"Nothing, sir. Who do you have in mind?"

"You have your choice of Baker, Spagnolo or Rodriguez."

"Not much of a choice." she mumbled quietly.

"What's that, detective?"

"I said, I'll have to make a choice."

"That's right. So go tell whoever you pick to be here with you at eight o'clock tomorrow morning.  
The two of you can spend the day going over the states file, reviewing your undercover profiles  
and having your I'd's made."

"Now get outta of here, I don't want to see you till tomorrow morning."

"Yes sir," she said slowly rising from the chair.

The captain watched her leave his office and walk back towards her desk. She sat down heavily in her  
chair, exhaling a deep sigh of resignation as she looked across the room, glaring first at Rodriguez,  
then at Baker, then over to Spagnolo.

In his office the captain laughed. It looked liked like she was watching a tennis match as her head  
pivoted back and forth from man to man to man.

After a while, she stopped, put her elbows on her desk and let her head drop into her hands.  
Moments passed before she raised her head and leaned back in her chair. She stood up, grabbed  
her coat and purse and headed across the office.

Captain Montgomery, still watching, muttered aloud. "It looks like she made her choice."

With her back ramrod straight and her gait never faltering, he watched as Detective Beckett walked  
down the aisle…and straight into the elevator.

As it's doors closed on her scowling face, the captain opened his desk drawer and pulled out a disposable  
cell phone. He flipped it open and hit speed dial. Seconds later, he spoke.

"Phase one is a success, she's on her way, time for phase two." The whoop of joy coming from the phone  
was all the reply he needed to hear.

xx...xx

Castle sat moping in his office. He hated deadlines. They always gave him writers block. One week and nearly  
a hundred pages to go and he wasn't getting anywhere. Snow was predicted later in the week. Maybe he could  
get lucky. A freak blizzard could hit the east coast, knocking out the power for days. Two or three days down  
would put his publisher weeks behind. A reprieve. As if he could be so lucky. He kicked back in his chair. His  
mind was beginning to formulate another possible disaster /reprieve scenario when he heard a yell come from  
somewhere in the apartment. He jumped up and pulled open the door of his inner sanctum just in time to see  
his mother dancing with glee in the living room.

"What's going on? He asked as he headed into the room.

"Good news darling, you have a reprieve!"

"A reprieve? What happened?"

"Your publisher just called sweetie, it seems that James Patterson finished his book a month early so he's been  
bumped to the front of the line. So you have a reprieve!"

She threw her arm around him, dancing as he stood rock still, scowling. When he didn't return her embrace she  
stopped dancing and looked at him.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "I thought this is what you wanted?"

"What I wanted was a blizzard. Not Patterson finishing his book early. What does he think he's doing? You don't  
finish early. You never finish early. It's like an unspoken rule. If one of us finishes early, then pretty soon they'll  
expect me to finish early. How could he do this?"

Martha threw up her hands, exasperated. "I don't understand you?" "You get what you want and you're still not happy."

"I wanted it, but not like this!" he wined.

"You'd rather it be because of one of your disaster scenarios where hundreds have do die so that you can get your way?"

"No." he pouted

"Well then be happy!" she cried, as she twirled about the living room.

He gave her a sardonic smile and headed back to his study. He closed the door and leaned back against it. Massaging  
his eyes with his hands, he exhaled.

"Great, lets just extend the torture a little longer shall we." He trudged to his desk and plopped into his chair.

Needing a distraction he grabbed his mp3 player out of his desk drawer, popped in the ear buds and began scrolling  
his playlist. "Ooh…the Killers." he murmured, and hit play. Reaching behind he pulled a few sheets of paper out of his  
printer. He cleaned off a spot on his desk and began folding and carefully tearing the paper into narrow strips.

"Are you ready for some football!" he yelled to the room, his head bopping to the music.

Minutes later he had a arsenal of folded paper footballs scattered about his desk. He then took a roll of masking tape  
and layed out an Australian Rules Football goal on the back of his office door. It offered more scoring options than  
American football. Returning to his desk he made a simple score card, a _C _on the left side of the page, a _B_ on the right  
side with a quick line down the middle. Castle's team won the first round of play. 'Best of three' he thought as he picked  
the footballs from off the floor.

"Time for round two" he said aloud, as he settled back into his chair.

Oblivious to all in his inner sanctum, Castle never heard the doorbell ring. Martha had been anxiously awaiting the ring  
and almost tripped over herself as she hurried to answer the door. She stopped and steadied herself. Reaching for the  
handle she opened the door with a flourish.

"Detective Beckett! What a surprise! Come in!" she ushered Kate into the living room.

"What brings you around?" she asked "Not a murder I suppose?"

"No ma'am." Kate stated. "I just need to run something by Castle, that's all."

"Too bad." Martha sighed "He really likes a good murder. Not that any murder is good, it's just that the mystery part  
of it really jump starts his engine, if you know what I mean."

"Yes ma'am, I know what you mean." She gave Martha a knowing smile.

"Well, he's in his office…working." She made parenthesis with her hands when she said working. "Go on in dear. I'm sure  
he won't mind."

Kate thanked her and headed to his office. As she approached the door she thought she heard voices inside. As she  
drew closer she realized what she was hearing was Castle singing. The singing wasn't bad but the choice of song was  
something else.

"….._you had a boyfriend, that looked like a girlfriend, that I had in February of __last year. It's not confidential, I've got  
potential, rushing and rushing around…."_

She laughed, pushed open the door and was pelted in the face by a paper football.

"What the…" her hand flew up defensively and then made a grab for the football as it slid down inside her shirt.

"Beckett!" "What are you doing…?" Popping out his ear buds, he jumped up and headed around his desk.

"I could ask you the same question." She interrupted while looking down her blouse for the missing football.

"I was just…" he started to say as he reached his hand up to help.

She quickly swatted it away. "I got this Castle." She said, pulling the football from her shirt and tossing it at him.

"I was just taking a break." he finished. "What are you doing here?"

She eyed the plethora of paper footballs on the floor. "A break, huh?" She stepped into the office and turned to  
close the door.

"I see you play the Australian version of the game," she commented when she spotted the tape job on the back of the door.

"You like Australian Rules Football?" Every new tidbit he found out about her fascinated him.

"What girl wouldn't. A bunch of hot looking guys running around in skimpy shorts, no pads, tackling each other and  
rolling around on the ground. Its like watching 'Guys gone Wild', only without all the nudity."

"Woah." Castle was taken aback. "I'll never be able to watch that anymore."

Shaking the imagery from his head, he offered Beckett a seat and returned to his desk.

Sitting down he inquired again, "So...what brings you here, is there a new case?"

"I need a favor." she reluctantly asked. "If you decline I'll understand. I know you have a deadline to meet."

Castle eased back in his chair. "Lucky for you, I received a reprieve from my deadline." Leaning further back,  
he locked his hands behind his head and smiled. "Now what can I do for one of New York's finest?"

I need your assistance on an undercover assignment."

"Ooh…I get to be a spy?"

"No Castle." she rebuked. "I just need window dressing."

"Window dressing." he said dejectedly.

"Window dressing." she repeated. "So are you in, or are you out?"

"Lets see….Window dressing or football…window dressing or football?"

"Well, since I can never play _Australian_ football again, window dressing it is. When do we start.?"

"I'll pick you up Thursday morning around nine. We'll have about a 3 hour road trip to make towards Utica.  
The assignment should only take a couple of days but pack for the week just in case." Beckett stood up to leave.

"That's it…Utica…no more details?" he pried.

"You're window dressing, Castle. If there is anything you need to know, I'll fill you in during the drive Thursday."  
She headed for the door. Pulling it open, she hesitated a moment then looked back.

"Thanks Castle." She said sincerely.

"Any time Detective." He flashed a charming smile that remained with her the rest of the day.

The following morning Captain Montgomery feigned a show of admonishing Beckett for her choice of partner.  
He made her plead her case before agreeing to let her take Castle. Phase two was ending. Phase three was primed to begin.


	3. The Road Trip

**The Road Trip**

Kate awoke early Thursday morning. She had to swap cars at the station before she could pick up Castle. Captain Montgomery had requisitioned her a all wheel drive SUV from the motor pool. It had started snowing Wednesday afternoon and more snow was forecasted for the rest of the week. Her car was unsuitable for the drive ahead.

She arrived at the precinct well before the morning shift was due to arrive. The bullpen stood empty, her heels echoed on the hard linoleum floor. The sound brought forth an unexpected reply.

"Is that you Detective Beckett?"

She was startled to see Captain Montgomery coming out of the break room, cradling a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.

"Sir, I didn't expect to see you here so early."

"I'm usually here early detective, its one of the job perks. Are you heading out?"

"Yes sir. I just popped in here to pick up a state map. I only have a local one." she said, arriving at her desk.

"You won't need one." The captain replied. "I had the motor pool install one of those GPS systems in your vehicle. They even pre programmed the route for you."

"Thank you sir, I appreciate it, but I'll take one just in case." She opened her bottom desk drawer, pulled out a map, folded it and stuffed it into her purse.

"I guess I'll be on my way." she said as she turned to leave.

"Oh detective," the captain spoke as she walked away. "Take it easy on Castle, after all you chose him."

The words 'you chose him' echoed strangely in her head as she strode out of the office and down to the motor pool. She arrived at the Castle's apartment promptly at nine. She exchanged pleasantries with the doorman before he passed her through to the elevator. Upstairs in the apartment, a groggy Alexis sat curled up in a blanket on the couch while Martha was busying herself in the kitchen. Castle emerged from his bedroom, bags in hand. He passed through the living room and dropped them by the front door. He then turned his attentions to his daughter. Joining her on the couch, he gathered her into his arms.

"You really don't mind me going?" he asked.

"No dad, it'll be good for you to get away. Maybe you'll even get some ideas for your book." She smiled up at him.

He smiled back and kissed the top of her head. He glanced over his shoulder into the kitchen "And you mother," he spoke up, "don't cause trouble while I'm gone. Alexis has to study for finals and she doesn't need strangers coming and going at all hours."

"Darling, I only have two life coaching sessions on Friday and after that I'll be as quiet as a nun, I promise."

Castle laughed at his mother "I don't think I could ever see you pulling off that nun analogy."

Lacking a reply, she glared at her son. He was saved from her look by the ringing of the doorbell. He jumped up, headed for the door and opened it.

"Morning detective!" he greeted, flashing a smile he had perfected just for her.

Kate looked up into his eyes as she pushed a loose strand of hair back behind her ear.

"Morning Castle." She noticed his bags by the door. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah." He motioned toward the living room with his thumb. "I just need to say goodbye." Turning back into the room, he bumped into Alexis who had already made her way to the door.

"Good morning Kate." She gave a tiny wave.

"Good morning Alexis. I hope you don't mind me dragging your father off for a few days."

"Naw, he needs a break. Plus, he always wanted to be a spy."

Castle flashed his innocent look and Kate just rolled her eyes.

Martha joined them. "You two had better get going the weather could turn on you." She waved them towards the front door.

"Love ya' dad," Alexis said.

"Love you too punkin'." He picked up his bags and followed Kate out the door to the elevator.

"Dad!" She entreated as he walked away. He stopped and returned to the apartment door. His daughter embraced him tightly and whispered in his ear. "Be nice to Kate, ok'?"

He gave his daughter a quick look and said. "I'll be a perfect gentleman, I promise."

He kissed her one more time and pulled the door closed as he left.

"Let's hope not!" Martha spoke to the door.

Alexis turned and hugged her grandmother. "It's working!" she said gleefully.

"So far, so good kiddo." she replied returning her granddaughter's embrace.

xx...xx

"Sweet Ride!" Remarked Castle as he threw his bags into the back of the black Cadillac Escalade Kate was driving.

"It's a loner." She replied. "Get in."

Castle settled into the passenger seat. As he buckled his seat belt, he noticed two cups of coffee and a couple of bear claws set in the vehicles console.

"Why detective, you shouldn't have." he said reaching for a cup.

"If I hadn't you would have just made me stop somewhere," she replied as she started the vehicle. Checking for traffic she hastily pulled out on to the road.

Castle spent the first few minutes of the ride engrossed in his bear claw, occasionally brushing crumbs from his jacket. Finished, he licked his fingers clean and dried them on a flimsy paper napkin that had been in the bag with their breakfast. Now that he was satisfied, he looked over at Beckett.

"So…what's the story?"

She knew this question was coming. It was best to just get it over with so that they could get to work. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the pamphlet Captain Montgomery had given her days earlier.

"This is where we're going." she said. "Fairfield Mountain Center, it's a rehab facility in the hills outside Utica." He flipped thru the flyer. "State police suspect its being used as a distribution point for drugs in Oneida County. I'm to go in and gather enough evidence for them to get a warrant."

She looked over at Castle who was engrossed in the pamphlet.

"Hey! This is a rehab for married couples!" He looked over at her as questions began to fill his brain.

"Yes," she replied, never taking her eyes from the road. "We're going as husband and wife."

Castle's mouth went dry and his face conveyed a quixotic expression frozen somewhere between fear and excitement. She made his mind suddenly race through a thesaurus of words from abstinence to pornographic the moment she finished saying 'husband and wife'. Kate gave him a sidelong glance, waiting for the humorous reply he was sure to give.

'What was he thinking?' She wondered, as seconds passed slowly. Did his face just flush or did she have the car's heater too high. The answer came with the sound of Castles tight, strained retort.

"So….this means we're sharing a room?"

To hide the brief grin which crept up the corners of her mouth, Kate turned her head to the left and pretended to check her side view mirror. Turning back to look at him, she replied.

"As a matter of fact….we will." She paused just long enough to make him meet her gaze with his eyebrows raised in anticipation. "But," She continued, enjoying the moment. "Since this is a couples retreat for failing marriages, you my dear husband, will be sleeping on the couch."

To keep herself from laughing aloud at the crestfallen look on his face, Kate turned away to look for more non-existent traffic in her side mirror.

xx...xx

The next couple of hours were spent working on their covers, memorizing names, their history, addresses and such; quizzing each other to perfection. Two hours into their drive Beckett felt it was time for a pit stop. She had been wanting a bathroom break and planned to stop at the next sign of habitation. A solitary truck stop soon came into view. It was more than she expected to find on this lonely road. A sign boasted of a diner inside. 'Perfect.' thought Kate. 'A bathroom and food.' She had about another hour to drive and needed a break. Sure, she could let Castle drive, but every time she pictured him behind the wheel of a car she saw a teenage boy easily distracted by conversation, the radio, a cell phone, or perhaps even his own thoughts.

"Are we stopping?" Castle inquired as the car slowed.

"Yes." She answered.

"Good, cause I really gotta pee." Castle began to undo his seat belt. She slowly pulled up to the front of the building. "Meet ya inside." he said, bailing out before the car had come to a complete stop. She sighed and watched him scurry inside. By the time she had parked the car, gathered her purse and coat from the back seat and made her way into the diner, Castle was sauntering out of the men's room.

"That's a relief." He sighed as he walked towards her.

"Good, my turn." said Beckett as she pulled her purse from her shoulder and handed it to him. "Here, hold this." she ordered, and walked off towards the ladies room.

Living with women all his life, his mother, his daughter, his ex-wives, he never gave holding her purse a second thought. Casually hanging it on his shoulder he began browsing the truck stop knick knacks displayed next to the diner's cash register. Minutes later Beckett emerged from the bathroom. She had to smile when she saw him standing there with her purse on his arm. No awkwardness in his manhood, it was just something he did everyday. She came up behind him and lifted the purse strap off his shoulder.

"Thanks." She said.

Castle jumped, turning quickly to face her. She wondered if it was her voice or her touch that had startled him most.

"No problem." He recovered. "Shall we sit?" He motioned her into the diner.

"Sure," she said and led the way to a booth by the front window.

They sat down across from each other and Castle grabbed the plastic coated menus wedged between condiment bottles at the end of the table. He handed one to Kate.

"I see why they're sometimes called greasy spoons." Kate remarked. The menu, the table and everything on it seemed to have a slight oily sheen, as if they had been cleaned with a rag that had been soaking in a bucket of cold dirty bleach water for more than a week.

"I've been in worse." Castle replied. "There was this time a buddy of mine took me to this dive in So Ho…." Luckily for Kate, his reverie was interrupted by the waitress.

"So, what can I get you folks?" She asked.

"Burger and fries." Kate ordered without looking at the menu.

Not wanting to seem indecisive, Castle responded in kind, "I'll have the same."

"Anything to drink?" the waitress asked.

"No. Just water." Kate answered with Castle assenting to the same. As the waitress turned to leave, Castle quickly spoke up.

"Ooh…you wouldn't happen to have curley fries would you?"

"Nope." She replied flatly, as she walked off towards the kitchen. "Just regular."

Castle leaned back in the booth, dejected, brow furrowed, eyes down, with his bottom lip sticking out ever so slightly. Kate enjoyed watching his boyish reaction to disappointment.

Feeling her eyes on him, he looked up. "What?" His brow arched in protest. "I like curley fries!"

The rest of the meal passed mostly in silence, except for a passing comment or two about the charred burger or the limp greasy fries. After eating what they could, Beckett was eager to get back on the road. Castle stood up, took some bills out of his pocket and dropped them on the table.

"I don't think I'll need to have my oil changed for another month.' He moaned, rubbing his belly.

"Me either." Kate laughed, sliding out of the booth.

He waited for her to stand and as she turned he lightly put his hand to the small of her back to escort her out of the diner. Kate had discovered over the years that this was one of his mannerisms that endeared him to her. He was always the gentleman, even here, at a dumpy diner out in the middle of nowhere. Back in the car, Kate checked the GPS system mounted on the dashboard.

"It looks like we'll reach our exit in about twenty minutes and then it's another thirty to Fairfield."

An easy quiet settled upon them. Kate concentrated on the snow covered road and Castle pulled out a spiral notebook and began writing. She enjoyed watching him work for a change. After a while, she noticed that his pen had stopped moving. Looking up she saw that he had fallen asleep, his head resting against the passenger window. She smiled at the muffled snores he emitted. Letting him sleep, she turned her attention back to the road. Ten minutes later they were both startled out of the silence by the GPS system announcing the upcoming turn.

"_Turn left in 100 feet."_ The mechanical female voice spoke.

She slowed the Escalade and Castle sat up, wiping away a bit of drool that had crept out on to his chin. "Are we there?" he asked, blinking his eyes awake.

"No." she informed him. "This is just the last exit, we still have a half hour to go."

"Sorry about dozing off on you." He apologized.

"Not a problem." she replied.

The road they turned on was a two lane blacktop that wound through alternating tree filled hills and valleys. Halfway through the drive to the Center they came upon a state trooper parked alongside a county work truck. Both vehicles blocked the road.

"What's this?" Beckett asked aloud, not expecting an answer. She pulled to a stop behind the trooper's vehicle. Looking through the window and the increasing snow flurries, she could see him standing next to his car talking on a hand held radio. When he tossed the radio into his car, she tapped Castle's arm.

"Wait here, I'll be right back. She exited her vehicle, pulled her coat tightly around herself and headed towards the trooper.

"What's the problem officer? She asked as she approached.

"Hi ma'am." he replied. "This road is closed. We have several trees down for the next two miles. The road crew is just now starting to clear them."

"Danm." Kate said aloud. "Is there a way around? We're heading to Fairfield Mountain Center. "

"Fairfield?" he questioned. "If you're heading to Fairfield, you're going the wrong way. You're way south of where you need to be."

"That's impossible!" Kate insisted. "I'm using a GPS system. It says I'm ten minutes from Fairfield."

"Your machine must have a glitch or something." he told her. "I'll show you on my map." He crawled across his passenger seat and opened his glove box. Pulling out a well worn map from inside, he slid out of the seat and held up the map. Waving it at her he said, "This won't let you down." He walked past her to the back of his car. He opened it out on the trunk and pointed. "Here's where you are and here's where you need to be." "It looks like you went left when you should have gone right."

She hated being told she was wrong.

"Thanks." She smiled politely. "We'll just turn around and leave you to your work." Her mind fumed as she headed back to the SUV. She yanked open the drivers door and plopped heavily into the seat, exhaling a long breath.

"What's wrong?" Castle asked.

He was alarmed when she reached up, wrenched the GPS system from the dashboard and threw it into the back seat.

Castle sat in stunned silence for a moment before he spoke up again.

"We're not lost…are we? Tell me we're not…No… we're not…are we?" he rambled.

"No!" Kate replied. "Not lost, just misdirected! That piece of electronic crap just took us a half hour down the wrong road!"

She threw the Escalade into reverse and after a little creative maneuvering, she managed to turn around. As the pair drove away, the trooper returned to his vehicle and picked up his radio.

"You still there?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm here. Was that them?"

"It was. She looked pissed. I think she ripped out the GPS system before she drove off."

Captain Montgomery's laugh reverberated through the speaker. "We'll be shutting their vehicle down in ten minutes. Are you sure you're ok blocking the road for the rest of the day?"

"Not a problem, it's nothing the locals aren't used to seeing once or twice during the winter and there's an easy detour around this stretch of road."

"Thanks again. I'll enable their vehicle around six in the morning but give them a drive by around seven to make sure they are on the road."

"I'll have the plow do a drive by and give them an easy road back to the highway." the trooper promised his old friend. "Let me know how this turns out."

"Will do," the captain replied.

Hanging up the phone Captain Montgomery turned his attentions to the computer on his desk. He watched a slow moving blip on his screen. It was coming from the GPS tracking device hidden in the Theft Division "bait car" he had requisitioned for Beckett. He looked at his watch and waited. Twenty minutes later he placed a call to the motor pool.

"Jackson…it's Captain Montgomery, time to shut it down."

"Yes sir!"

The captain hung up his office phone and picked up his disposable cell. He called his co-conspirators to let them know phase four had begun.


	4. The Break Down

**The Break Down**

Kate was pissed. She barked at Castle. "Get me my purse!"

He hurriedly retrieved her purse, not wanting to become the focus of her wrath. He set it down beside her. She yanked it open with one hand, dug around

for a few seconds and pulled out her map. She slapped it into Castle's chest.

"Here, navigate! Were on 167. We need to be on 169!"

He fully opened the map. It was upside down and backwards. He turned it around and flipped it over. The ensuing ruckus increased Beckett's ire.

"Sorry," he fumbled. "Gimme a minute."

A few minutes and what seemed to Beckett a hundred flips and folds later, he has shrunk the map to a manageable size.

"Ok," he said. "I got it."

Kate rolled her eyes.

"We go back the way we came," he spoke, "about twenty to twenty five miles. Once we get to the highway, take a right. Go about five miles and then take a left on 169."

"_Great!"_ Beckett tightened her hands on the steering wheel. "Another friggin hour on the road!"

Castle was silent.

The palpable quiet went on forever. It made Castle squirm. He thought he could lighten her mood with a little music. He reached for the knob to the radio

and caught her glare out the corner of his eye. He covered his faux pas by adjusting the air vent nearest the radio. Ten minutes later, as they were coming to

a bend in the road; it happened. The quiet become quieter. No more churn of the engine. No hum from the fan blowing heat. Nothing. Castle noticed Beckett

trying to control the unresponsive steering wheel as she furiously pumped the brakes.

"Hold on!" She warned, as the Escalade went straight and the road went right. Their momentum had slowed but not enough to keep them on the road. Castle

braced one hand on the dash, the other gripped his door handle.

The front left wheel went off the road first. This caused the rear end to fishtail. The Escalade slid off the road to the left. It came to a jarring stop in a narrow depression, tilted up against an embankment than ran along the edge of the forest.

Kate exhaled the breath she had been holding, relieved it hadn't been worse. "Castle, you ok?" she asked.

"Yeah!" he replied. "What the hell just happened?"

"I don't know. Everything just cut out." She tried starting the Escalade. Nothing. She then tried the radio, then the interior lights. Nothing worked. Castle undid his seat belt.

"I'm going get out and see how bad it is."

He struggled with the door. The angle the vehicle came to rest made it almost impossible to keep the door open long enough to crawl out. He managed to get his torso past

the door but struggled to pull his legs out. Kate unbuckled and pushed herself into Castle's seat. She reached over and used her arms to help support the door. Castle had

been too busy to notice her coming to his aid. He pushed off to pull his legs through the same time she lifted up on the door. He pivoted backwards and landed on the ground

below. Kate saw his legs vanish and heard a crumpling thud, followed by Castle calling out.

"I'm ok!" His head appeared, hovering at the passenger side window.

"Give it another push," he instructed. She pushed up on the door. When a gap appeared, he was able to pull it fully open. "Come and join me," he said, offering his hand. With

her hand in his and her other hand on the door frame she was easily able to pull herself out. Once she was on the ground, she murmured a quick thanks to Castle and turned

her attentions to the vehicle.

"The way everything cut out it has to be something electrical."

As she spoke Castle walked to the front of the SUV, tilting his head to match its lean.

"Other than checking the battery and alternator connections," she continued, "there's not much we can do." She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and slid it open.

"No bars," she said waving her phone at Castle. "I think we're screwed."

"Oh…we're more than screwed," he interjected into her appraisal.

Something about the vehicle had his attention. She walked over to where he stood and followed his gaze. Looking down she saw that the left front tire was flat.

It was more than flat. Upon closer inspection she saw that the tire was completely off the rim. She could see a large rock between the tire and the embankment.

"Danm! Even if we did get it started, we could never get out. We're going to have to go for help."

"I agree…but not today." Castle commented.

"And why not? She asked, arching her brow.

"Well, it's late," he said. "The sun will be going down around four thirty, that's in…lets see," he glanced at his watch, "…about three hours.

Calculating the twenty minutes we just drove that leaves us about twelve miles to the highway. The average human walking speed is three miles per hour.

That means, it will be dark by the time we get to the highway and with our luck we'll be picked up by the psycho driver from the movie Jeepers Creepers.

And if we don't get picked up, we'll just die slowly…from exposure."

Kate stood with her mouth open. It always fascinated her, the way he could analyze and summate a situation in the time it took most people to take a breath.

"Ok," she said.

"Ok?" He couldn't believe she actually agreed with him.

"Yes…you're right. What you said makes sense…especially the psycho killer part," she added.

Castle smiled. "So, now what?"

"Now we wait. We might get lucky, someone might come by, or that trooper and the work crew may come back thru here." She tried to sound optimistic.

Castle looked around, rubbed his hands together and blew on them for warmth. "Then I think we should wait in the caddy. It's freezing out here."


	5. The Wait

**The Wait**

Climbing back into the Escalade was less awkward than getting out. Once inside Beckett settled into the front seat and Castle into the back seat.

The list of the vehicle had their backs resting against the driver side doors.

"This is comfortable." Castle said glibly.

"I can fix that," Kate offered, "Reach back and grab that large grey parachute bag."

"You have a parachute bag?" He asked as he reached behind his seat.

"I found it at an army surplus store years ago. It's perfect for holding a lot of stuff."

With a grunt, he hefted the bag over the seat. "What did you pack? You said we were only going to be a couple of days."

"It's my survival bag." she said. I keep it in the trunk of my car. It comes in handy on long stake outs and it's perfect for the _occasional unexpected emergency."_

"Why detective, I didn't know you were a girl scout," He was both teasing and prying at the same time.

She danced around it. "Not that I was ever a girl scout. It doesn't take a genius to plan for a road trip in inclement weather."

He smirked at her as he zipped open the bag.

"Wow! You have everything in here!" He started pulling things out.

"A sleeping bag, a blanket, towels, bottled water and ooh…dinner!"

He pulled out a can of Beanie Weenies and a can of Spaghettio's followed by a box of granola bars and a bag of beef jerky. The last thing he pulled out was a

zipper bag that contained a small packet of tissue, a box of matches, two spoons, a can opener and a small flashlight.

"Thank you for planning ahead!" he complimented.

He handed her the sleeping bag. She unrolled it and bunched it up behind her back. Castle took the towels and the blanket and did the same. When he had settled,

he picked up the bag of jerky and shook it at her.

"Want some?" he asked.

"Sure."

They chewed in silence. Neither knew how to start a normal conversation with the other. Their conversations always began and ended with work.

Castle finally spoke. "Is my spiral notebook still up there?"

"Let me look." She bent forward and looked between the console and the seats, and then she felt around on the floorboard.

"Here it is." She pulled the notebook from under her seat and handed it to him.

"Thanks," he said. "I have a few things I need to get down on paper."

Beckett settled back into her seat and Castle began writing as a cover for the uncomfortable silence.

A little while later, he looked over and saw that she had fallen asleep. He stared at her face, enjoying the opportunity to do so with out her glaring back at him.

He studied the arch of her brow, the curve of her neck and the color of her lips. She had been cute with her short hair, but now the way her long auburn tresses

softened her features, she was absolutely lovely. He thought of all the heartfelt things he had wanted to say to her over the years, only to be stopped by the

invisible barrier she threw up whenever he tried to get close. He thought of all the times had wanted to stop one of her many verbal gibes with a long passionate kiss.

'This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining…', he quoted in his head from Poe's, _The Raven._ He closed his eyes for a moment, then returned his attention

to his notebook, writing more out of frustration than inspiration.

Some time later, Beckett quietly awoke. She saw that snow had begun to cover the windows and in the stillness she could hear the scratch of Castle's pen on paper.

Slowly she looked to her right and saw him in deep concentration, words flying from pen to paper. Minutes passed as she watched. Castle shocked her when he spoke.

"Getting even?"

"What?" was all she could stammer.

"You're paying me back for all the time I've watched you work."

"No," she recovered. "I was just wondering what you were doing back there.

"Well detective, it seems you've been wondering for about five minutes."

She hated being caught. She hated the fact she had no reply. In frustration she grabbed the empty bear claw bag that lay next to her on the floor. She crumpled it up

and threw it at his head.

"Hey!" he exclaimed. He would have thrown it back at her but it had bounced off his

forehead and disappeared among the luggage.


	6. The Game

**The Game**

"What time is it?" Kate asked as she tried to look through the snow laden windows.

He checked his watch. "Almost three."

"Only three? This day is going to go on forever. What did people do to pass the time before electricity and electronics?"

"They had sex." Castle spoke without thinking. "…or they played games, you know, like card games and board games,"

He tried to cover but Beckett still glared at him.

"I know what we can do," he caught her look, "…other than the sex. We can play _Crack the Case."_

"What's _Crack the Case?"_

"Why detective, I'm shocked. It's only the best game slash crime solving tool ever invented."

"Really?"

"Really!" he enlightened. "Milton Bradley came out with it in the mid nineties. Alexis gave me one for Christmas about five years ago.

It comes with about 100 cards. Each card has a short murder or mystery on one side and the solution on the other side. You have to try

and solve the case by asking only yes or no questions."

"How can it be the greatest crime solving tool ever?" "It doesn't sound that difficult," she sneered.

"Oh…this game will teach you to see what can't be seen and to think outside of the box."

Kate snorted.

"I've even gotten Cannell and Patterson both hooked on this game. We played through the game cards years ago so now we take turns

coming up with new cases. It is a personal challenge trying to stump them."

'Boys and their games' Kate thought. "Ok Castle, I'll play."

"Yes!" He leaned in towards her seat. "You won't regret this."

"Let me cover a few more of the rules first. The version of the game we will be playing is called Twenty Questions. You have to solve the case in twenty

questions or you lose. If any of your questions are improperly asked, vague or unimportant to the case I can also give the following responses.

_Irellavant. I don't know. __Rephrase your question_ and, _Define what_ _you mean by that. _"Is all that clear?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"I'll start you off with an easy one," he winked at her.

"Get on with it" she grumbled.

"George and Gracie are found dead in a puddle of water on the living room floor. Scattered around their bodies are shards of broken glass.

How did they die, and who killed them?"

"That's it?" she asked.

"Yup!"

"How is that enough information to possibly solve a case with 20 questions?"

"Come on…you can do this," he encouraged her.

"Fine…did they know their killer?"

"Yes."

"Was their killer a relative?"

"No."

"Was the killer a friend?"

"No."

"Was the killer their Enemy?"

"Yes."

Kate noticed her questions were going nowhere fast. She decided to take a new tact.

"Were they poisoned?"

"No."

"Were they killed with the glass?"

"No."

"Is the glass relevant to their death?"

"Yes."

"Is the water relevant to their deaths?"

"Yes."

"Did they drown?"

"No."

"Were they physically attacked?"

"Define what you mean by that."

Kate rolled her eyes in frustration.

"I mean, did the killer bodily attack the victims leaving visible damage to their bodies."

"No…you're halfway through your questions,_ detective,_" he ribbed.

Kate quickly blew through the rest of the questions and found that she was no closer to an answer than when she had started.

"You lose!" Castle called out.

"I told you…there's not enough information to answer in 20 questions".

"Yes there is!" he insisted. "Why do you think I am always theorizing that your cases are alien abductions or CIA cover-ups?

It's because I think outside the box!"

"Castle, I can't solve _real_ cases by consulting a Ouji Board. I have to stick to facts and evidence, those solves cases."

"Yes," he agreed and leaned in closer. "But knowing how to ask the right question can sometimes solve a case when facts and evidence are not enough!"

"What's that suppose to mean?

"It means that you could have solved the case I gave you with just one question. Not twenty, not a hundred, just one."

"Yeah...And what would that question be?"

He held her gaze and spoke. "Are George and Gracie human?"

Kate scowled back at him, biting her bottom lip as she pondered the question.

Not human…puddle of water…broken glass. The clues swirled around in her head.

Castle watched her eyes, waiting for the answer to hit. When it did, her eyes flew wide.

"You can't be serious?"

He could only smile.

"George and Gracie were goldfish. The cat killed them when he knocked their fishbowl to the ground, breaking their bowl, causing them to suffocate."

"Congratulations detective, you've solved your first case."

"That was a trick case," she admonished.

"It was not a trick case…you made presumptions."

"You could have warned me!"

"Where's the fun in that," he smirked.

Grabbing a bottled water off the seat, Castle handed one to Kate and then took one for himself. After a brief break, they returned to the game.

"I'll give you another easy one, till you get the hang of it."

"Bring it on," she challenged.

"A man lies bleeding on the pavement. Near his body are a mint, a plate and a spent .45 caliber shell casing. Why was the man shot?"

Kate took some time before she asked her first question.

"Was the mint something to eat?

"No."

"Would the plate be used in a kitchen?"

"No."

"Was the man a thief?"

"Yes."

"The man was shot trying to steal a printing plate from a mint," she blurted out.

Castle was surprised at how fast she had solved her second case.

"Excellent," he said. "It looks like I need to give you a harder one."

They continued on, playing six more games. She solved them all, most before coming close to twenty questions.

Castle interrupted the game when he noticed the sun was going down.

"I think we should take a break and have our dinner before it becomes too dark to see."

"Good idea, she replied. "I need a break.

"You know, you're right Castle, it's a great game. I feel like I've been doing mental aerobics."

"You caught on fast. I should take you to my next poker game so that you can take Cannell and Patterson down a peg."

Castle held up dinner. "So, what will you have, Beanie Weenies or Spaghettio's?"

"Spaghettio's!" She said. "If I ate Beanie Weenies I'd embarrass myself later."


	7. The Darkness

**The Darkness**

Dinner was a success . As much as canned food, granola bars and bottled water can be. While they ate Castle regaled her with his home life.

He told her of Alexis' latest academic achievement and gossiped about her boyfriend Ashley. He spoke of his mother's auditions and his concern for the fact

that she had not dated since Chet died.

Kate marveled at how easily he shared his personal life. She always found it hard to give when so much had been taken from her in the past.

Her mother's death had taken away one life and left her with another. Her new life was safe and she wasn't about to risk losing it for anything for

anyone. She shivered at her introspection and at the cold that was creeping into the vehicle.

Castle noticed Kate shiver. He leaned across the back seat and reached behind the headrest. He pulled up on a lever and lowered the single

section down flat.

"Castle, what are you doing?

Tossing the survival bag into the front, he climbed onto the back of the folded down seat.

"The sun is going down and it's going to get cold, down into the teens cold. You're never going to stay warm with that lightweight sleeping bag an I

know I won't with just this blanket." He reached back across and dropped the remaining seat down. "So I suggest we pool our resources." He patted

the flat surface. "Come join me," he winked and gave her his best sexy look.

"Not on your life!

"Oh come on! I'm just kidding.

"Yeah… right!" She growled.

"Seriously, we're going to have to share to keep warm and you know it. Come on back. I'll be a perfect gentleman." Castle held up two fingers. "Scouts honor!"

"As I recall, you were never a scout."

"You know what I mean!"

"I know!" She gathered up the sleeping bag and threw it at him. "Out of the way," she pulled herself over the front seat and into the back.

Castle had her sit by the passenger door. He took the sleeping bag and opened it out on the flat surface. He crawled across to the back of the vehicle.

He grabbed his small suitcase, unzipped it and dumped its contents on top of the sleeping bag.

"Now what are you doing?" Kate queried.

"The more layers we pile on the warmer we will be." He proceeded to open Kate's bag. Her suitcase was too large to upend, so he grabbed handfuls of

her clothes and tossed them onto the pile. Kate grabbed at his arm.

"Hey! Stay out of my…" she spoke too late.

Castle found himself holding a handful of her underwear.

"Wow!" He exhaled loudly. Turning back to Beckett, he dangled her thongs and silk bikini underwear from his hands.

"Finally answers that question."

She quickly snatched the underwear from his grasp. Castle smiled devilishly.

"Don't be embarrassed. You showed me yours so I'll show you mine." He reached down and pulled a pair of his silk boxers from the pile.

"See."

"Not funny Castle."

Kate leaned over the front seat and stuffed her underwear into her purse. When she leaned back, he was now holding up a book he had pulled

from her luggage.

"Jane Eyre," he said. "I never pictured you as a reader of the classics. I thought you only liked mysteries."

"You may be surprised to find that my world does not revolve around you Castle. I read at least one literary classic a year. I can't spend all my time reading pulp fiction."

"Pulp fiction?" Castle feigned shock, placing his hand over his heart.

"You wound me. I may not be Shakespeare or Bronte but my work is not cheap or tawdry enough to be called pulp fiction."

"No," Kate said. "At twenty nine dollars a book your work is definitely not cheap."

Looking hurt, he tossed the book down and finished unpacking her clothes. He spread the clothes out evenly across the sleeping bag and then laid the blanket

on top to hold everything in place. He then moved some of the luggage to the driver side to provide a cushion between his body and the door.

"There…finished." He lifted up a corner of the sleeping bag and wiggled his legs under the pallet till the covers lay across his lap. He rested his back against the front seat.

Kate grabbed the small flashlight out of the survival bag before she settled under the covers. She found the angle of the vehicle had her sliding up against Castle.

He tried hard to stifle a laugh as he watched her scoot away only to slide back minutes later. She eventually gave up.

"Did you know," Castle spoke "…that there are about twenty seven film adaptations of Jane Eyre. The first, being a silent film back in 1910. I've seen several of them,

my favorite being the 1970's version with George C. Scott and Susannah York. The only other classic with more films to its credit is Dickens' _A Christmas Carol. _It has more than forty."

"Castle…your brain amazes me sometimes. It's like you have this giant search engine in your head that can access random information at the drop of a hat. Where does it all come from?"

"It comes from years of doing research for my books. You would be amazed at the little snippets of information that you need to know when writing a book.

I once spent all day on the Staten Island Ferry and took twelve pages of notes just to be able to describe the ride in a five line paragraph for one of my books.

It's the little things, the attention to details that makes a book good. How can readers believe in my characters if they can't believe the ferry ride."

"I never realized how much work was actually involved in your writing." Kate commented.

"You should follow me around sometimes. Watch the creative process in action."

Kate laughed. "I think I've seen enough of your creative process to last me a while."

Oh detective…you've barley scratched the surface of my creative talents," he said huskily as he slid his left hand under the cover. He leaned forward.

His had brushed against her leg. She flinched away. Castle gave her a sly grin before he pulled out her book that was left buried among the clothes.

"How about, we check out some of Charlotte Bronte's creative process. Turn on the flashlight, will ya?"

Dumbfounded, she switched on the light and wedged it into the headrest next to Castle's head.

"Let's see…where are you,…chapter nineteen. What's happening in chapter nineteen?"

Regaining her composure, Kate spoke. "Jane is about to have her fortune read by an old gypsy woman."

"Ah, the party scene, this is where the story starts to get interesting. Sit back, relax and enjoy." He grinned. "I'll be your entertainment for the rest of the evening."

Castle began to read. Beckett found it very disconcerting at first. The last time someone had read to her she had been a child. That someone had been her mother.

A wave of nostalgia flooded over her. Castle was too busy reading to notice the tear that struggled to remain in the corner of Kate's eye. She closed her eyes

and waited for the emotion to pass. When she opened them, she concentrated on his narration and soon found herself engrossed in the story.

Further into the story, Kate began to dig beneath the blanket. She pulled out the towels and balled them together. She slid further down beneath the covers and

stretched out next to Castle, using the towels for a pillow.

"Am I putting you to sleep?"He asked.

"Not at all, I just wanted to be more comfortable while I listened. Go on."

He continued reading as Kate rolled on to her left side and rested her head on her makeshift pillow

Castle was quite the verbal actor. He spoke for each character as if they were real. Kate wasn't sure if it was his smooth melodic voice or the plot that drew her

further into the story. She held her breath as Jane professed her love for Mr. Rochester. She bristled at the way Rochester baited Jane, to draw her into conflict

with her desires.

Castle read passionately as Rochester angrily defended his actions and pleaded for Jane's hand in marriage.

'Damn,' Kate thought, 'when did classic literature become so…hot!'

Castle suddenly found he was reading many of the things he wished he could say to Kate. He was excited to be speaking these words to her…even if they were not his own.

Caught up in the spell of words he never noticed the heavy breathing coming from Kate's direction.

The spell wasn't broken until he read the foreboding lines that end the chapter. But never stopped reading. He couldn't stop.

The silence between them would be too unbearable. So, he plodded along, enjoying Jane and Edward's happiness while silently decrying his own.

Much later, he noticed Kate's breathing had become quiet.

"Kate…Kate…? No answer. She was asleep.

He sighed. Turning off the flashlight, he slowly eased under the covers. He turned on to his right side, his back to hers. He lay in the darkness questioning his actions,

their relationship, or lack there of, and the future. He could only lie awake and wish for an untroubled sleep to put an end to the long night.


	8. The Dawn

**The Dawn**

Kate awoke from the best night sleep she had in years. The quiet of the early morning was blissful. The warmth of the arm wrapped around her was so warm and comforting.

'This is nice,' she thought as she held tightly to the cradling arm. Sighing, she snuggled further into the warm body pressed against her back. Moments passed before her eyes snapped open. Kate suddenly remembered where she was and who she was with.

Confusion reigned in her mind. She was confused as to how they had become entangled in each others arms. She was confused by how much his embrace overwhelmed her. The feeling took her breath away. When had she stopped breathing? When was the last time she had felt every molecule of her body tingle? When was he going to let go?

She lay there not breathing, not moving, wondering how she was going to extract herself. She had discovered that not only was Castle's arm wrapped tightly around her torso but his hand had molded itself to her left breast. Her mind was so focused on getting out of the predicament; it was a while before she noticed his breathing had changed. His slow rhythmic breaths had become quiet and intermittent. He was holding his breath.

"Castle," she said softly. No reply. She raised her voice.

"Castle!"

"Mmmm…,"

"Can I have my boob back?" She asked bluntly.

She felt him move. He leaned in closer, his lips almost brushing her ear as he whispered.

"You give me my arm; I'll give you your boob."

Kate had forgotten she was still holding tightly to his arm. She quickly let go and he delicately extracted his hand and arm. She sat up and feigned a few coughs as she straightened her clothes and ran her fingers through her hair.

"What time is it?" She asked.

Castle pushed the light button on his watch.

"About five forty five, the sun won't be up for another hour."

Kate reached over and switched on the flashlight still wedged in the headrest.

She almost wished she hadn't. The weak yellow light made the back of the Escalade look like the inside of a cheap motel. Sometime during the night the clothes from the pallet had become strewn about the compartment. Littered among the clothes were granola bar wrappers, water bottles, her book and Castle's pen and paper. The only thing missing to complete the effect would be some cigarette butts, a condom wrapper and the stale taste of booze in her mouth.

"Next year I'm taking my vacation," she muttered.

"What?" Castle asked.

"Nothing."

…

They busied themselves by straightening up. Kate found the bear claw bag she had thrown at Castle and used it for a trash bag. Grabbing the water bottles and her book, she shoved everything into the survival bag.

Castle set about gathering the clothes and fixing the pallet. Finishing, he grabbed his pen and notebook and wriggled back under the covers. The mornings close encounter has left him wanting, so he released more of his frustration onto the blank page.

While Castle wrote, Kate looked for a pen in her purse. Finding one, she slid back under the covers and waited. She waited for him to stop writing, but he never did. Finally she reached over and grabbed his pen.

"What?"

"Boy, you sure were in the zone."

"Sorry, you need something?"

"Yeah, a piece of paper if you can spare one."

Castle flipped to the back of the notebook, tore out a page and handed it to her. He watched as she folded it in half and began writing.

"What are you writing? He asked

"I thought I'd keep a journal of our trip so that when someone comes across our frozen corpses they'll know what happened," she answered sarcastically.

He glared at her.

"If you must know, I haven't been to the grocery store for about two weeks. I thought I'd spend the time making a grocery list."

"Oh," was his only comment.

They both returned to their writing

…

Later on, Castle was interrupted again. This time it was by Beckett's legs jittering under the covers. He reached down and grabbed her leg. She jumped.

"What are you doing?"

"Are you having a seizure? What's with the legs?"

"Was it that noticeable? Sorry…I really need to pee."

"Come on," Castle started to get up. "I'll help you get out."

She stopped him.

"No, it's still to dark. I can wait."

Then, as if on cue, the interior lights of the Escalade came on.

"What the…" Castle started to say.

"Power's back." Kate said over him. "I must have left the dimmer switch on." She quickly turned around, leaned over the driver's seat and turned the keys that were dangling in the ignition. The Escalade's engine roared to life.

"Weird," she commented. "Maybe it's a problem with the engine control module? Let's enjoy it while we can."

Kate turned on the radio and cranked the heater. She sat back and smiled.

"Ah…civilization," Castle remarked.

They both leaned back and listened to the radio. Castle played DJ, commenting on every song, its artist or the lyrics. Kate enjoyed the distraction.

Soon, the snow covered windows began to lighten. The sun was rising.

"Ok," Castle announced. "Potty break!"

He tumbled into the front seat and moved to the passenger door. Kate followed. This time they quickly and safely exited the vehicle.

It felt good to get out of the vehicle and move around, even though it was bitterly cold. Kate surveyed her bathroom options. She decided to follow the bend in the road till she could find a spot out of view. Castle spoke up as she started to leave. .

"Hey…aren't you gonna need…?" He couldn't finish. He didn't want to embarrass her. So, he pulled a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and offered it to her.

"No thanks, that's what this is for." She walked away waiving the small packet of tissues in the air.

Castle watched her disappear from view. He waited a few minutes and then yelled out.

"I can see you!"


	9. The Plow

**The Plow**

Kate rejoined Castle as he paced beside the Escalade.

"It's all yours," she said

"Oh…I already wrote my name in the snow." He pointed up the road.

"Well then, we should to gather up the things we might need for the hike out of here."

Castle moved to the door. As he started to open it, Kate stayed his arm.

"Do you hear that?" she asked.

"Hear what?"

"I hear…something."

"Yeah," he agreed, "It's faint."

They stood still, not moving, barely breathing; listening for the faint signs of life outside their own.

"It's getting louder," Kate said excitedly.

"Which way?" Castle looked around. The sound was reverberation around the forest.

"It's coming from the north, towards the highway." She answered.

Soon, sound and vibration filled the air. They moved to stand off the road near the SUV. Something was coming.

A large red snow plow soon barreled around the corner. It stopped just short of covering them with snow. They both exhaled a sigh of relief.

The rig's door flew open and the driver disappeared from sight, only to reappear seconds later walking around the front of the truck.

"You guys all right?" A tiny female voice called out.

"Yeah," Castle replied taking in the sight of the diminutive woman who drove such a massive truck.

"Looks like you've been here a while," she commented.

"We had to spend the night," Beckett replied. "Any chance you could give us a ride to the nearest town?"

"Rides not what you need," she told them. "What you need is my cousin Bobby."

"Your cousin Bobby? Kate repeated.

"He runs a tow truck. He can have you out in no time. I'm always findin' at least one car a week off the road while I'm plowin'. I've got him on speed dial. But, I'm gonna have to go back to the highway to get a signal. That'll take me about ten minutes or so.

In the mean time…," she walked back to the driver's side of her truck. They heard a lot of banging around before she returned holding up two snow shovels.

"It'll be about an hour before he gets here. Plenty of time for you two to shovel it out."

"Shovel what out?" They asked at the same time.

"I have to turn around to get back to the highway. So, when I pass by your truck I'm gonna shove snow up against it. You'll need to clear it off so that he can tow you out." She handed them the shovels. "You guys move out of the way. I'll go make the call and be right back.

She made her way back to the cab and climbed inside. She took off leaving three feet of snow in the spot they had been standing.

Kate leaned on her shovel. "This just keeps getting better,"

"It's life." Castle commented. Its adventures like these that I use to fill pages of my books."

"I'm sure the writing is a lot easier than the actual doing," she huffed, walking over to the snow pile.

Minutes later the plow, having turned around, came rumbling back. Castle waved her down and yelled up to her as she slowed.

"Tell your cousin I'll pay extra for some fresh coffee!"

She gave him the thumbs up and headed off down the road.

Castle joined her at the snow pile. Soon, they were working up a sweat. He was the first to remove his coat. Pulling out his handkerchief he wiped his forehead and tossed his coat onto the Escalade. Kate soon threw her jacket on top of his.

Neither of them noticed when it happened but the shoveling soon became a competition to see who could clear the most snow.

Castle started to fall behind. So, as Kate turned to toss the snow from her shovel he surreptitiously began to deposit his snow into the area she was clearing. It was several minutes before she noticed.

She waited for him to toss his next shovelful away before she laid down her shovel and gathered up a quantity of snow in her hands. She stood up, forming the snow into a quick crude snowball.

"Ahem," Kate said to draw his attention.

Castle looked over in time to be pelted in the chin by her snowball.

"Hey! What's that for?"

"Like you don't know."

She stood there hands on her hips and watched as his evil genius grin began to form on his face.

"Oh, no you don't! She waved a finger of warning at him. "That was payback!"

She knew that talking would not dissuade him. So, slowly she began to back away.

As soon as he bent down, she ran. But not fast enough. his snowball hit her left shoulder.

It wasn't much of a snowball fight. They missed more than they hit. They were both tired from shoveling. Castle, winded, knew he had to put an end to it quick. As Kate reached down to collect her next handful of snow, he charged.

She stood and turned to run again but it was too late. Castle grabbed her collar and shoved a handful of snow down the back of her shirt.

Kate squealed as the snow slid down her back. She danced around, pulling at the back of her shirt trying to shake it out.

"Not fair, Castle!"

"All's fair in love and war," he shrugged.

She stopped fidgeting with her shirt. She pushed her fallen hair behind her ears and sauntered towards him. Stopping inches from his face she looked sexily into eyes, then at his lips and back into his eyes.

"You're right Castle," she paused before finishing, her breath touching his lips, "…_this _is War."

She spun around, dropped down and with a quick sweep of her leg had him flat on his back.

He lay there looking at the sky, wondering what just happened. He was still wondering when Beckett's face came into view above his.

"Watcha doin' down there?"

"Uhh…making a snow angel," he replied flapping his arms and legs.

She rolled her eyes and dumped a shovelful of snow on top of him.


	10. The Pull

**The Pull**

The snow plow returned as they finished shoveling. She had called her cousin and he was already on his way. Castle thanked her and offered to pay her for her time but she refused. Gathering her shovels, she continued on her route.

With the snow shoveled they could get back into the vehicle. Kate climbed inside and turned off the heater and the ignition. After working so hard outside, it now felt like an oven on the inside. She grabbed their water bottles and hurried out. Castle chugged the last of his bottle down while Kate sipped hers. As they waited, he made up different narratives of "Bobby the Tow Truck Driver".

"He's a ninth grad drop-out with a mullet. He drives a 1987 Ford pick-up that has been poorly converted to a tow truck. It has 276,000 miles on it and is held together with bondo and duct tape."

"Or, he's a heavy set man with a beer gut and a mullet. He's married to the first woman he ever kissed. He has 2.5 children, ones in the oven; and a dog named Buddy. They live in an apartment but want to save for a house, which is difficult because they still owe twenty thousand on the rig he bought two years ago."

"Do you expect me to believe that all tow truck drivers have mullets Castle?"

"Yeah."

He was well into his fifth mullet when the tow truck arrived. Its appearance left him speechless.

"Wow," was all Kate could say.

Before them was the most decked out tow truck they had ever seen. It was a Ford diesel dually 4x4, painted bright yellow with red flames down the sides. A row of running lights ran the width above the windshield. Four chrome fog lights hung beneath a chrome brush guard sporting a chrome wench. Two bulbous chrome spot lights were attached to each door. There was so much chrome gleaming on the front of the truck that to Castle it looked like a knight in shining armor coming to the rescue.

"Impressive." he muttered.

Kate shielded her eyes from the glare.

"I'll be impressed when he gets us out of here."

The truck rattled to a halt as the engine was turned off. The driver's side door opened and Bobby stepped down from the cab. He crossed in front of his truck and headed towards them with a thermos in his hand.

He was handsome, almost GQ handsome, with light brown shoulder length hair and rugged features. He had on a well worn tan Carhartt jacket with matching pants and a green flannel shirt with a brown Henley underneath. A pair of Muck boots completed the ensemble. As he sauntered over, Castle noticed that he only had eyes for Kate.

"Hi," he said, flashing a mouthful of pearly whites. "I have the coffee you ordered."

"That would be my order," Castle said, holding his hand out for the thermos.

Kate noticed the twinge of jealousy to his voice

Bobby handed him the thermos with out so much as a look and continued talking to Kate.

"So it looks like you went off the road."

Kate knew his type so she played it for all she could.

"Yeah," she said as she twisted a strand of hair around her index finger. I don't know what happened, one minute I was on the road the next minute, poof."

"It usually happens that way," he smiled. "Let me get a closer look and I'll see if I can get you out."

Kate moved to let him pass. Once his back was to them, she caught Castle's eye. She mouthed the word 'Hot' and fanned herself.

Castle moved closer and whispered, "Mullet."

"Long hair is not a mullet," she whispered back.

"Is so."

"Is not."

Is so."

Is not."

"So!"

"Not!"

"Excuse me!" Bobby called out.

They both quickly turned in his direction.

"Yes?" Kate asked.

"I can get you out. It'll take a little finagling, but I can do it."

"Thanks a lot, Bobby. I really appreciate you help." Kate turned the charm back on.

Finding an out of the way place to stand, they shared the thermos of coffee and watched him work.

They watched as he deftly turned his truck around and began running cable out from the boom. He ran two independent cables. The first he hooked under the Escalades right front tire. The second cable he passed behind a tree on the side of the road opposite the SUV. He then pulled the cable back across the road and hooked it to the right rear of the vehicles undercarriage.

For the next twenty minutes they watched as he alternately reeled in the cables and pulled the Escalade sideways off the embankment and out of the ditch.

"That was so cool!" Castle commented to Kate.

They headed over to the Escalade as Bobby began undoing the hooks.

"Look!" Castle marveled. "Not a scratch!"

He ran his hand down the driver's side. He couldn't find a dent or scratch anywhere. Bobby was more concerned with the tire.

"Looks like you busted the vale stem off," he looked back to the ditch. "Must of happened when you slid into those rocks. You had to hit 'em just right to do this much damage."

Kate sidled up to Bobby.

"The way you pulled the truck out of the ditch was amazing. Do you think I could ask you for one more favor?" She flirted.

"Ask away."

"My friend," she paused and nodded towards Castle. "He's not mechanically inclined, if you know what I mean. Do you think I could talk you into putting on the spare tire for me?"

"Sure, let me finish putting away the cables and I'll take care of it for you.

Kate reached out and placed her hand on his arm.

"Thanks a lot, I really mean it. You've been a big help."

Bobby flashed a toothy grin and went to work.

Castle had watched their exchange from the back corner of the SUV. Turning away he sat on the rear bumper and crossed his arms tightly against his chest. Kate joined him moments later.

"Trolling for another boyfriend?" He said sarcastically.

"Do you really want to change the tire Castle? I can arrange it for you.

"Huh?"

"I just talked him into changing out the front tire for us."

"Oh, sorry," he said abashedly.

While Bobby changed out the tire, they repacked their luggage and the survival bag. They left the back seat down and moved the luggage towards the front leaving enough room in the back to put the tire inside.

Bobby finished and went over to his truck to clean off and write up the bill. Done, he yanked off their copy and Castle quickly snatched it.

"I got this," he said

He looked at the bill. "Fuh…fuh…four hundred dollars!"

"Yeah, pretty sweet deal, huh? Most collision deductibles start at five hundred dollars. So, I saved you at least hundred bucks!"

"Great," was all Castle could say, considering it wasn't his truck. He dug out his Platinum American Express card and handed it over.

"We don't take this one," Bobby said handing it back.

"What!"

"We only take Visa or Master Card."

"It's all I have." He offered it again.

Kate snatched the bill from Castle's hand.

"I got it," she said and headed back to the Escalade. She grabbed her purse off the front seat and rejoined the guys.

She popped open her purse and the underwear she had forgotten about spilled to the ground. Bobby's eyes popped out and Kate's face flushed. She quickly knelt down and began picking them up, stuffing them into her pockets of her coat.

Castle covered his mouth with his hand to stifle a laugh.

She dug out her wallet, pulled out the credit card and handed it to Bobby. She stood up awkwardly, pushing back hair that was already in place behind her ear. Avoiding eye contact, she fidgeted while he wrote down her credit card information. Even though she was flustered, her mind remained sharp. She suddenly remembered one important thing they needed to do.

"Castle," She barked out.

"Huh?"

"Go make sure the car starts."

**Authors Note: **_Everything that happened to the Escalade is based in fact. My husband decided he wanted to go sledding on christmas eve. So, we headed up the mountain. First, we stopped to visit his folks who live just below the snow line. We then headed out about 1:00 in the afternoon to sled. He decided to take the road less travelled. It put us on a two lane blacktop that wound up the side of the mountain. Along the way we noticed that a lot of trees had recently been removed from the road. There was sawdust and tree parts littering both sides of the road. We managed to get ten miles from town before we came upon two large trees still blocking the road. We carefully turned around. We had just made it to the snow line so there was a lot of slush on the road. The truck was in four wheel drive and traction did not seem to be a problem. There was a limb protruding into the road and my husband steered us into the other lane to pass. The next thing we knew, we were in a ditch up against an embankment. The truck was leaning on its left side. You don't realise how much a door weighs when a vehicle is leaning. I couldn't open the door so I climbed out through the window. My husband then pushed the door open a crack and I was easily able to hold it open from the outside. He handed me the survival back pack I always carry in the winter. (He always laughs at me.) Next he handed me our eight year old Shih Tzu that was travelling with us. He got out next. Being christmas eve , and the road we were on, we knew the chances of someone coming any time soon was slim. So we decided to walk back to town. We kept a good pace but five miles later the dog pooped out. We had to empty the backpack an take turns carrying him. We carried him for the next three miles. It was dark when we finally came upon a couple who were starting a bonfire near the river we had been paralleling. They drove us the last two miles to his parents house. Thank goodness we found them when we did, I was wearing my steel toed work books and the extra two pounds per shoe were killing my shins.__ We called for a tow truck. The truck that picked up my husband looked like the one I described. It was really impressive a night with all the running lits lit up. Our truck was pulled out just as I described in the story. There was not a scratch or dent on it. We didn't noticed it at the time, but the left front tire was flat and the valve stem had been snapped off. The only thing I was not sure about was how the tire came off the rim. We don''t know if it was from the impact or the pull out of the ditch. So, I used a little artistic liscense in the story. I hope his answers any lingering questions._


	11. The Interlude

**The Interlude**

Kate made arrangements for Bobby to follow them back to the highway as a precaution. If the Escalade did not cut out by the time they arrived at exit 169, she felt it would be best to continue on to Fairfield.

When they parted ways with Bobby at their exit, Castle couldn't resist one last jibe at Kate about her flirting.

"I hope you weren't too attached to your new boyfriend."

"Why?"

"Because," he said waving the tow bill in her face, "…he charged you fifty bucks to _help you out_ with the tire."

"He didn't!" She snatched it from his hand. "He did!"

"Losing your touch detective?"

Kate crumbled the bill into a ball and threw it at Castle's feet.

He quickly withdrew to the safety of his cell phone and placed a call to his mother. He knew she would be worried when he hadn't called last night. The phone rang four times before she answered.

"Hello Richard. How are you?"

"I'm fine mother. How are you and Alexis?"

"We're just fine, Alexis is at school and I'm getting ready for my meeting. How's detective Beckett?"

"She's fine. We had a little trouble yesterday, that's why I didn't call last night. We were stuck on the side of the road for the night and there was no cell reception."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Do you need me to do anything for you?"

"No mother we're ok and back on the road. We are running behind so I may be gone a day longer than planned."

"That's alright sweetie, take all the time you need. I need go. My first appointment is due any minute. I'll talk to you later."

Castle stared at the phone after she hung up.

"Something wrong?" Kate asked.

"No…just strange. I tell her 'I love you' and she sends the entire NYPD out to find me. I don't call for twenty four hours and she could care less."

"I wouldn't sweat it Castle, they knew you were undercover. Maybe they thought you weren't able to call."

"Maybe, but I promised my mother I would call her in the evening."

"What are you, sixteen?" Kate mocked. "You have to check in with your mom everyday?"

"Hey! I have a mother and a daughter who both worry about me."

"With her new boyfriend Ashley around, I bet Alexis doesn't even know you're gone."

"Don't say that."

"Why not?"

"I'm not ready to be replaced."

"It's gonna happen someday."

"Well, that someday can come after she's graduated from college."

"You'll be ready when the time comes. You'll have your life. She'll just be moving on with hers."

"Yeah, what life?" He sighed. "She is my life."

….

They made the turn on to 169. They spent the last leg of their drive reviewing their identities and backgrounds. When they were done, Castle pulled out the Clinic itinerary and gave it a quick review. He had questions for Kate.

"You realize we will be attending therapy sessions while we're there?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, what's our problem, you know, our reason for going to the clinic?"

"It really doesn't matter. Improvise something. You're an expert a making up stories."

"I don't need to make up stories. I have enough baggage from two failed marriages to fill up a hundred therapy sessions. I was mainly wondering about you. What are you going to talk about?"

"I was just going to talk about my philandering husband."

"Why do I have to be the bad guy?

"Because in my line of work, the guys usually are."

"That's not fair! Why can't you be the slutty nympho housewife?"

Kate gave him a disapproving look.

"Hey, you're the one who said we should make things up. We're only going to be there a couple of days so, like you said, what does it matter?"

"You're right," Kate said tersely. "It doesn't matter. You just say whatever you want."

"Fine, I will!"

"Fine!"

The mood that settled over them was timely as the next bend in the road brought Fairfield Mountain Center into view.


	12. The Admission

**Authors note: **_Sorry for the delay, but life got in the way!_

**The Admission**

They pulled on to a brick paved drive that led to the covered front entrance of the Center. The pamphlet had boasted that the building had been converted from a 1940's Hotel and Spa. The original building was the centerpiece to which two new wings had been added. The brochure also mentioned that the Center overlooked a small lake surrounded by a pristine old growth forest. The Clinic was open year round and catered to a multiple of therapy needs. The facility could accommodate nearly 150 guests and staff. It was the premier counseling center in the state of New York.

As Kate pulled to a stop at the front entrance, a young man pulling on a jacket came running out to meet them. Kate opened her door.

"Good morning," he greeted cheerfully. "Welcome to Fairfield Mountain Center. My name is Jason. I'm with guest services and I will be helping you with your luggage and your vehicle."

"Thank you," she said stepping out and handing him her keys.

He wrote down their vehicle info, tagged the keys and handed her a receipt. While they spoke Castle unloaded his luggage from the back seat. The young man pulled out Kate's luggage and they followed him into the main lobby. It was brightly decorated in pink and green pastels and an over abundance flowers. Castle winced as Jason led them through to the receptionist's desk.

"Hi!" A perky young woman greeted them. "My name is Mandy and I'll be checking you in today. May I have your names please?"

"I'm Richard Donaldson and this is my wife Katherine. We were supposed to be here yesterday afternoon but we had car trouble on the way."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Let's see…," she pulled up their information on her computer. "…you were booked for the three day intensive therapy session. Technically you're not late. You're first individual session was to start ten minutes ago so we can skip the orientation and take one of you to meet with the therapist right now, if that's ok?"

Kate looked hesitant so Castle volunteered to go first.

"Well then Katherine," she said handing Kate a key card, "I'll have Jason show you to your room. You'll have an hour before you need to be back here for your session. So, until then feel free to look around."

Mandy turned and looked at Castle. "Ready to go?"

"Lead the way," he replied, giving Kate a quick smile before they parted.

Kate headed off to her room to unpack and do a little recon till time for her session.

Castle meanwhile, headed with some trepidation to his therapy session. 'Just make something up', he told himself as he followed Mandy up a flight of stairs.

They arrived at a door marked Room 6 above a sliding placard that said "In Session". Mandy gave an acknowledging tap on the door and let herself inside. Behind a heavy wooden desk sat a small yet plump woman in her sixties. Her salt and pepper hair was accented by her black and white print blouse and matching jewelry. She stood to greet them.

"Please come in," she said as she offered her hand to Castle. It's nice to meet you Mr. Donaldson. I'm Dr. Leibowitz, but you may call me Karen. May I call you Richard?"

"You can call me Rick. Nice to meet you."

"I'll be your personal therapist for the duration of your stay," she motioned to the chair in front of her desk. "Please, have a seat."

Castle sat as Mandy made her goodbyes to the doctor and left them alone.

Dr. Leibowitz flipped open a folder on her desk and gave it a quick glance before she spoke.

"So, you and your wife are here for the three day intensive marriage counseling. Can you elaborate on why you think you need counseling?"

"Well, we've been happy together for several years now but this last year we seem to have hit a rough patch."

"Mmm…let me ask you a quick question before we explore your relationship further."

"Ok."

"Do you love Katherine?"

Rick is surprised by the question but he doesn't hesitate to answer.

"Yes."

"That's good…," she replied leaning forward in her chair. "…because these sessions would be pointless if there was no foundation of love to build on."

"So," she continued, "this rough patch, how would you define it?"

The truthful answer that he had given, that he loved Kate, drove all the trite stories he had made up for this session from his mind. He suddenly realized this was the perfect opportunity to explore their "relationship" and just maybe; this would help him find the elusive inroad to Kate's heart.

"As much as Kate cares for me, she keeps blocking me out."

"Does she block you out emotionally or physically?"

"Both," he exhaled.

"So your sex life is…"

"Sex life? What sex life?" He cut her off before she could ask. "We shared a kiss recently, and I know she felt something, but she pretends it's didn't happen and blocks me out again. What am I suppose to do?" He looked earnestly at her waiting for a reply.

"That's what these sessions will help you discover. They'll help you learn to communicate openly with each other, to reconnect."

"Good," he looked relieved. "We need all the help we can get."

They talked a while longer and before he knew it his session was coming to an end.

"Thank you for being so open and honest," she complimented. "It's usually like pulling teeth to get most men to open up in their first session. What you've told me today will help a lot in your joint sessions tomorrow."

"I'm look forward to tomorrow." Rick thanked her as they shook hands in parting.

Feeling good about his first session and anticipating the next, he practically skipped down the stairs and back to the lobby where he found Kate pacing the floor.

Kate saw him bee-bop back into the lobby. 'What the hell was he so happy about? Therapy was intrusive and uncomfortable, how could he be so…giddy?"

Hey Honey!" He teased as he stopped in front of her. "It's your turn."

The look on her face stopped him in his tracks. She looked terrified. He had never, ever seen her scared before. "Hey," he said again as he put his hand on her arm. He gave it a slight squeeze to get her attention.

"Just tell her how much I annoy you and you'll be out of there in no time."

With a slight nod of her head she turned and followed Mandy out of the lobby and up the stairs.

'Just make up something', she kept telling herself over and over, 'It doesn't matter, its just undercover work, nothing else'.

She had not convinced herself as Mandy opened the door and led her into the room. The woman that greeted her was a far cry from the police psychologists she had been forced to visit after a shooting. They were usually dour intuitional types who had worked for the police department for longer than anyone could remember. The smiling unassuming woman before her looked like someone's mother, not a therapist. This took some of the terror out of the pit of her stomach.

"Welcome Kate, I'm Dr. Leibowitz, but you can call me Karen." she held out her hand in greeting."

"Pleasure to meet you," she replied returning the handshake.

"Well Kate, please have a seat." She waited for her to get comfortable before proceeding.

'So, I understand you and your husband are having some difficulties in your marriage."

"Yes, we've been having problems."

"Can you tell me what you think the main problem is in your relationship?"

"His philandering," she blurted out.

"Alright, that's a good start, but before we go any further, I would like to ask you a question and I want you to answer it honestly and truthfully."

"Ok"

"Do you love Rick?"

Kate was taken aback. She knew this was undercover, that what she said it did not matter, but the use of his name in that question made it so personal, so intimate. She wanted to simply say yes and move on, but it had undertones that she did not want to address. So, she found a safe reply.

"Yes, I love my husband."

"You may love your husband," the doctor stated, "but do you love Rick?"

Kate sat looking confused, not answering.

"You seem to want to see him as someone other than Rick," the doctor noted, "as someone you can conform to your world. My job, my work, my husband. You may be married to him but he is separate from you, an independent being who had differences you may and may not like. If you love him that means you love all the things about him," she paused to let this sink in. "So Kate, do you love Rick?

Kate found herself replying honestly to herself and to the doctor.

"Yes."

"Good, now let's talk about what you want to accomplish during your stay here.'

….

One hour later the session ended. Mentally exhausted, Kate made her polite goodbyes and headed out. She was starving and all she wanted to do now was to find Castle and have a decent meal. As the door to the office closed, Dr. Leibowitz flipped through her address book and made a prearranged phone call.

"Good afternoon Jim, its Karen."

"Karen, I'm so glad you've called. We're all anxious to know how it's going."

"So far so good," she replied. "They just finished their individual sessions with me."

"And, how did it go?"

"I've gotten them to admit that they love each other."

"Great!" he butted in.

"Don't get too excited, that was the easy part. Getting them to admit that to each other, that will be the hard part."

"Well my sister told me you are the best person to make that happen. So, no pressure or anything," he laughed.

"'I'm taking it as a challenge," she said. "Plus how could I resist helping out two of my favorite authors."

"I still can't thank you enough Karen."

"Oh, you'll be thanking me enough with a signed advanced copy of your next book, don't forget."

"I won't. Keep in touch and let us know when they leave."

"I will, talk to you later, bye"

"Damn," James said aloud to himself as he hung up the phone. "This might actually work."


	13. The Tiff

**The Tiff**

Kate made her way back to the lobby. She hoped to find Castle waiting for her there but she had no such luck. She headed off to their room to see if he was there. What she found were signs that he had been there. The bathroom was still steamy and his toiletries were scattered about the counter. His dirty clothes were piled in one of the two wing backed chairs nestled in the corner of the room around a solitary table. As much as she would have loved to stop and shower, food was her primary focus.

She decided to try the dining room next. Maybe he was already there having lunch. As she made her way through the lobby to the dining room, she neared a dimly lit alcove. Muffled voices and low music hinted of a bar inside. She was passing the opening when she caught the sound of a familiar laugh. She headed inside and found him huddled up to the bar with a small group of men. She noticed he was the center of attention.

'They look like they're all hiding from their wives,' she thought as she strolled towards them. She tapped Castle firmly on his right shoulder.

"Come on Arthur," she gibed, "time to get some lunch."

He swiveled round on his seat to face her.

"Hey honey, you done already!"

Kate had been ignoring the little endearments that were peppering his conversations since they had arrived, but her hunger and the slight headache it was causing, were beginning to wear her patience thin.

"Yeah, I'm done. Have you eaten yet?"

"No, I was waiting for you sweetie."

She noticed the other guys at the bar making furtive glances in her direction while they eavesdropped on the conversation. The sudden urge to nag was irresistible. She crossed her arms and spoke sternly.

"You better make that your last one_, dear_. It's been a while since you've eaten anything and all that alcohol is gonna go straight to your head. I don't want to have to carry you out of here."

His eyes narrowed as he gauged her tone and posture. Was she '_in character'_? He wasn't sure, but his childish nature couldn't resist playing along.

"I'm fine honey. I've been filling up on peanuts," he reached back, grabbed another handful from the bar and popped them into his mouth.

The last endearment set her off. She was going to have to use the one word that would shut him up, the one word that she had tentatively promised to never use again.

"Well, you can stay here and enjoy your peanuts, _Kitten. _ I'm going to lunch."

The man to his left turned away to suppress a snort of laughter. The guy to his right, his eyes went wide as he silently mouthed the word kitten and waved for the bartender. Kate left him choking on his mouthful of peanuts as she turned and walked away.

Rick quickly followed. The muffled laughter he heard behind him as he chased after her had him feeling humiliated. He caught up with her outside the bar and grabbed her arm.

"That was totally unfair!" He coughed, still trying to clear a peanut from his throat.

"You asked for it!" she slung back, turning on him in the hallway.

"What did I do to you?"

"You have been goading me with your little endearments ever since we arrived here! Don't deny it!"

"I'm just trying to stay in character! He hissed loudly. "I don't know what kind of relationships you're used to, but most normal couples use words like _honey_ and _sweetie._

It shows that they care for each other. If you didn't like it why didn't you just tell me instead of embarrassing me?"

Kate was stunned by his outburst. She realized how wrong she had been to accuse him. He was only playing the part she had asked him to play. Montgomery's parting words suddenly echoed in her head. Go easy on him, he'd said. Damn, she had let her frayed emotions get the better of her judgment. She put her hands to her face and exhaled. Sweeping her hair back behind her ears, she looked at him apologetically.

"You're right. I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. I'm just on edge from the from the therapy session and a little cranky from being so damn hungry. I took it out on you and I'm sorry."

Her heartfelt apology had him feeling a little guilty.

"Yeah…well… maybe I pushed the endearments a little too much. It won't happen again."

"Maybe?" she implied as a small smile crept out one side of her mouth.

"Truce?" he asked offering her his arm.

"Truce," she agreed as she slipped her arm into his and led him to the dining room.


	14. The Unexpected

**The Unexpected**

After the cold meal in the car, the lunch buffet tasted like a five star restaurant. Castle was amazed at all the food Kate was putting away.

"You keep eating like that and people are going to think you're pregnant. No…wait…scratch that. You keep eating like that you're going to look like you're pregnant."

"Castle, you better zip it if you don't want to see me crankier than I already am."

He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Sorry, I couldn't help it."

He was watching as she finished off her second plate when Mandy appeared at their table.

"Hi, I'm here to invite the two of you to the orientation and tour that you missed this morning. If you'd like to, you can meet me at reception when you're done with lunch."

"That sounds great," Kate replied. "We'll see you shortly."

Once Mandy was out of earshot Castle piped up. "Orientation? Boring!"

"Yeah maybe, but I want a better look at the place. A guided tour will let me know what's what around here."

"Spy stuff, it sounds more exciting when you explain it that way!"

"Don't get too excited, you're just the eye candy here."

"Why detective, you've promoted me from window dressing to eye candy. Thank you."

"Anytime Scaramouch"

...

They spent the following hour with Mandy. She briefed them on their schedule for the next two days and gave them a tour of the facility and the grounds. The Center still boasted the original hotel amenities. Inside there was a full gym a game room and the small bar that Castle had found earlier in the day. Outside there were two tennis courts and a full size pool for use during the summer months. Past the pool, a tree covered walkway led to the small lake and boat house that stored an assortment of canoes. The path to the lake continued on into the surrounding woods where a multitude of small cabins were set against the shoreline. The snow made these cabins accessible only during the summer months. There main buildings that interested Kate were the four large maintenance and storage buildings located just off the northwest corner of the center.

When the tour was over they headed back to their room. Kate was dying for a shower. Castle plopped down on the bed as she made her way over to her suitcase. She dug through her bag and pulled out a change of clothes and her toiletries.

"I'm taking a shower," she told Castle as she headed for the bathroom.

"Need any help?" He offered, not expecting a reply.

She just shook her head, rolled her eyes and closed the bathroom door.

Castle lay there, thinking about what was going on behind that door. She was just a few feet away from him, naked. Naked and in the shower rubbing soap up and down her arms, across her breasts, down her stomach and… "Ok, stop this," he said to himself. "Distraction, I need a distraction." He grabbed the TV remote. What to watch, he wondered. What would be the equivalent of a cold shower? Fox News? No, Glen Beck! 'Yeah,' he thought, 'that would make his balls shrivel'. He turned on the TV and began channel surfing. Oddly enough, and true to his nature, he found himself distracted by an episode of Forensic Files.

He was caught up in the show when Kate emerged from the bathroom thirty minutes later. Looking at her he couldn't help but notice how cute she looked in her pale blue yoga pants and snug form fitting t-shirt. He turned back to the TV, but secretly watched her as she returned her things to her luggage. He noticed her looking around the room.

"It's a bitch, isn't it," he commented.

"What is?" She asked looking at him.

"Irony."

She looked puzzled.

"No couch." He explained. "It looks like Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson will be sharing a bed tonight."

"You're just loving this, aren't you?" She smirked at him.

He smiled back and patted the bed. "Come get comfortable. Forensic Files is on."

She sighed and headed to the other side of the bed. She pulled out the pillows from under the comforter and placed them against the headboard. She lay atop the covers and leaned back into the pillows, letting the last two days stress ease from her body.

It wasn't until the show ended that Castle noticed Kate had fallen asleep. He turned off the TV and rolled over on his left side to face her sleeping form. He was thrilled by the opportunity to watch her again, though his view was obscured by locks of hair that had fallen across her face. He reached over and gently lifted them away. She stirred but never woke.

'God, this has to end!' His mind screamed out.

He would have to push her, but he was afraid of how hard she would push back. Laying there thinking this and a million other thoughts, he never remembered falling asleep.

…..

Hours later a noise awoke him to a darkened room. He instinctively reached out towards Kate and found her gone. He sat up quickly and fumbled with the bedside lamp. He turned it on just in time to catch a glimpse of Kate's bare back as she pulled a dark turtleneck down past her bra to the top of a pair of black pants she was now wearing.

"Did you just….while I was?" He tried to ask.

"Yeah, you were asleep, so what?"

"You could have woken me!"

"You snooze, you lose," she quipped as she grabbed her boots, gloves and coat. She sat down at the end of the bed to put on her shoes.

"Where are you going?"

"Seeing as we slept the rest of the day away, now is a good time to do a little recon."

"What time is it?" He asked while rubbing his face awake.

"About 11:15."

"Wait for me," he said sliding off the bed,

"Castle, I told you, you're window dressing. I don't need you to come with me."

She noticed his eyes darken when he spoke next.

"I thought I deserved more than that."

"What do you mean?"

"You agreed to partner, and partners have each others backs, or have you forgotten our conversations."

"No."

"So it's settled. I'm coming."

"Ok, get your coat."

He pulled on his shoes, grabbed his coat and gloves and followed her into the hallway. She headed towards the side exit. As she reached the door she turned and noticed he was gone. She turned to head back to the room and ran into him coming from a small vending machine recess in the hallway.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she saw him slip something into his coat pocket.

"I had to grab something. Let's go," he said, moving into the hallway. They slipped out the side exit and headed around to the back of the facility.

"So, where are we going?" He asked quietly.

"I thought we'd check out the maintenance and storage buildings first. They would be the best possible transfer and storage location for the quantity of drugs moving through here."

When they arrived at the buildings, they noticed several security lights were on outside. Only one of the buildings had any noticeable light coming from its small solitary window. There were signs of footprints in the snow. How long they had been there they couldn't tell.

"Come on." Kate said as she started off towards the closest building.

"You go ahead," he said. "I'll stand lookout."

"Huh?" She looked back to see him pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his coat pocket. It was his purchase from the vending machine.

"You don't smoke!" she admonished.

"No, but it's a great cover for me to be standing around out here late at night."

"Ok," she said. "I'll be back in thirty minutes. If I'm not, call Montgomery. Don't try to find me by yourself. I don't want anything to happen to you. You have family that needs you. I don't."

"Damn it, Kate! You're not alone. You have more people that need you than you realize!"

She looked at him hesitantly. "Don't worry, I'll be right back," was all she could say.

Castle angrily tore open the pack pf cigarettes as she walked away. He crumpled the plastic wrapper and shoved it in his coat pocket. He pulled out a cigarette, returning the pack to his breast pocket. He fished out the matches he had taken from the bar earlier in the day and lit up, inhaling deeply. A few sputtering coughs later he realized what a mistake he'd made. Holding the cigarette at arms length, he took a position leaning against one of the parked maintenance vehicles and waited. Twenty five minutes and two slow burning cigarettes later he heard footsteps approaching. A man was coming down the sidewalk towards him. He brought the cigarette back to his lips as the man approached. He noticed a facility logo on his jacket.

"Hey", the guy said. "You're not supposed to be back here. This area is for employees only."

"Sorry," Castle said waving the cigarette. "The wife's making me quit and this seemed like the safest place to hide."

The man laughed. "I know what you mean, dude. Can I bum one from you?"

Castle reached into his pocket and pulled out the pack. "Go ahead and take the rest, I don't want to get caught with them."

The man thanked him as Castle lit his cigarette. He hung around while he smoked and talked about wives and women. Castle began sucking on the cigarette he was holding so the man wouldn't get suspicious. About five minutes later the guy squashed out his butt and said his goodbyes and headed off around the west side of the building.

Castle let out a chocking breath and threw his cigarette to the ground. As he stamped it out, a hand grabbed his shoulder. He jumped out of his skin and spun around. He found himself looking into Kate's laughing eyes.

"Jesus, Kate! You scared the crap out of me!"

"Sorry." She apologized. "Thanks for being my lookout though."

"Not a problem," he said composing himself.

"So, what did you find?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Yep, absolutely nothing. We'll have to look elsewhere. Let's head to the boat house and the outlying cabins."

Kate headed towards the lake. It was a moment before she noticed Castle wasn't keeping up with her. She looked back. He was following, but slowly and very unsteadily.

"You ok?"

"I'll be alright," he waved her onward.

Even in the weak moonlight Kate could see that his face had a slight green pallor. She grabbed his arm and led him to a concrete bench set off from the sidewalk. She brushed the snow from the seat and sat him down.

"You look like you're going to be sick," she commented.

"I'm just a little dizzy, it'll pass."

"It'll pass faster if you put you head down," she said, shoving his head down to his legs. He didn't resist.

"I think that dumb idea of yours was a dumb idea."

"Yeah," he said, trying not to wretch.

Kate lightly rubbed his back until he felt well enough to sit upright.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. This reminds me of the time I was fifteen and my best friend Karen Lipinski stole a pack of her dad's cigarettes. We smoked the whole pack in one afternoon. God, I had never been so sick in my entire life." They laughed together as he slowly stood to check his balance.

"That's better," he said, taking a few steps.

"If you want to call it a night and head back to the room, I'll understand," said Kate.

"No, I'm fine. I think walking around out in the cool air for a while will help, let's go."

They walked off towards the boat house and spent an hour searching it and several of the closer outlying cabins. They found nothing.

"I don't get it." Kate was frustrated. "Nothing, not even a hint of anything."

"Where else can we look?"

"The only place left is the receiving dock at the back of the main building next to the kitchen. There's no other place out here that can handle the amount of drugs we're looking for."

"Let's go then."

"It's too late," she said. "It'll be too easy to spot us inside nosing around. We need to wait till tomorrow when there are more people around making it easier to find a way in or cause a diversion."

"So, we're done working for tonight? He said with a glint to his eye.

"Yeah…why?"

"Come on then," he grabbed her hand and pulled her with him back towards the main building. He stopped when he reached the small pond that had been turned into a skating rink.

"We have it all to ourselves," he said with a flourish of his hand.

"Castle its…, she glanced at her fathers watch, "…one thirty in the morning. Do you really want to go skating now?"

"Yes. Why, are you in a hurry to get back to the room so we can cuddle?"

"You know what. You talked me into it." She acquiesced. "What are we going to use for skates?"

"There's a storage shed by the trees over there. There's probably skates inside."

She walked over and jangled the padlock on the front of the door. "It's locked," she said.

"You've already broken into the maintenance building, the boat shed and three cabins, what's a storage shed going to matter?

She quickly picked the lock and they chose their skates from off a rack that displayed them by size.

Castle quickly had his on and was soon pirouetting around the ice. Kate watched him nervously. Why was he so damn good at everything? It had been more than twelve years since she had last skated, and even then she wasn't very good. She heard him calling out from the ice, pestering her to hurry. She finished and cautiously made her way to the pond's edge.

"I told you before, I'm not very good at this," she called out as a disclaimer.

"Come on, it's not a competition, you're not going to be judged, just let go and have some fun," he encouraged her. She stepped out, a little wobbly at first, but soon she had her balance. She pushed off and headed out across the ice. 'Not bad', she thought. She went to propel herself forward again and found herself sitting on her ass on the cold ice. After a few more attempt and a few more falls, Castle appeared at her side.

"You're right. You're not very good at this, are you?" He grabbed her arm and helped her stand. She clung to his coat.

"How'd you get so good?" She asked.

"I've been taking Alexis skating every year since she was five and I've had to match her skills over the years just to keep up with her."

"Here, let me help you." He guided her around to his right side and put his arm around her waist. "Let's go. I'll give you some pointers and you'll be and expert in no time."

He showed her how to keep her forward motion and her balance. He then showed her how to make a gentle sweeping turn. As they came out of the next turn, he let her go.

"Castle!" She yelled out at him.

"Just do as I showed you, you'll be fine."

And she was. She continued on straight and transitioned smoothly into her next turn. Everything was perfect. Coming out of her turn she pushed off back towards Castle before she realized something important. She didn't know how to stop.

"Can't stop!" She called out.

Rick threw his arms out to slow her, but she was going to fast. They collided. She grabbed at his shoulders. He caught her at the waist. They spun around several times before they collapsed into a laughing heap upon the ice. Kate continued to giggle as she lay atop him, still bound by his arms around her waist. Their laughter subsided, and he found her face suspended inches above his. He tried to look into her eyes and read her thoughts, but her mane of hair had fallen down. He removed his right hand from her waist and reached up, brushing her hair back away from her face. His gloved hand lingered on her cheek. He lifted his head and tentatively caught her lips with his. He was overwhelmed as she responded. He brought his other hand to her face as their kiss deepened.

Kate felt herself becoming lost in him, surrendering to his kiss. She had never felt this with anyone before, this loss of self. It caught her off guard. A sudden panic hit her, pushing aside everything else she was feeling. She broke from his embrace and rolled off his chest. She sat a moment with her back to him. She could hear his heavy breathing as he remained prone on the ice.

"It's late," she said, as she struggled to her feet.

She heard him exhale heavily as he sat up.

"Is it always going to be too late with you Kate?"

She heard him but didn't respond. Instead, she made her way to the bench and began removing her skates. He joined her. They removed their skates in a tense silence.

Kate finished first. She rose and set her skates down on the bench next to him and walked away. He turned and watched her until she disappeared from sight. Returning their skates to the shed, he slowly made his way back to their room.

…..

When he arrived back inside he found her secluded in the bathroom. He made his way to the far side of the room and stood in front of the portable stand that held his suitcase.

'Damn her sensibilities!' He cursed, as he kicked off his shoes. He pulled off his trousers and threw then in the chair. He heard the bathroom door open but he didn't turn around.

Kate came out of the bathroom she was surprised to see him standing there in his boxers, unbuttoning his dress shirt. As he removed his shirt she noticed the tension that seemed to be knotted in his back. She crossed to the bed and watched as he balled up the dress shirt and threw it into his suitcase. She slid into bed and turned away from him. She found she was trembling as she turned off her light. 'What the hell was he doing to her?' She struggled with her composure and to keep the suspended tear from slipping from out corner of her eye. It dropped silently on her pillow. Squeezing her eyes tight, she refused to let another one follow.

He pulled on his t-shirt and turned to the bed. He saw her clinging to the edge with her back to him. He turned off his light and climbed under the covers, taking care not to touch or disturb her.

There they both lay, listening to each others breathing and judging the growing distance between them as they lay less than two feet apart.

An hour later, Rick had enough. He got out of bed and pulled on his pants. He yanked on his socks and shoes. He wasn't worried about waking her. He knew she wasn't asleep. He grabbed his coat and headed for the door.

Kate listened as he dressed. She chose to feign sleep rather than talk. The beam of light from the hallway shone through her eyelids as he left the room. Opening her eyes, she could see his shadow as he stood on the other side of the door. Minutes passed and he never moved. She felt the urge to go to him and ask him to come back inside. As she lifted the covers, his shadow disappeared.

Why did she wait? She asked herself. Why did she always do and say the wrong things to him? Frustration and confusion overwhelmed her. She buried her face into her pillow and silently cried herself to sleep.


	15. The Morning After

**The Morning After**

Kate awoke the next morning and found she was alone. There was no sign that he had returned during the night. She gathered a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom. She hung her clothes on the back of the door and turned to face herself in the vanity mirror. Her eyes looked bloodshot and her face was blotchy. She couldn't face him looking like that, so she undressed and turned on the shower. She stuffed her hair in a bath cap and stepped under the torrent of hot water. She let it crash into her face and cascade down her neck and shoulders, wishing it could wash away the memories of the previous night. But nothing in life was that easy.

She stood under the torrid flow till her skin began to turn a bright pink. Finding no emotional relief from the heat, she shut off the water. She threw the bath cap into the sink and dried herself off. Slipping on her undergarments, she discovered that the steam in the bathroom made it too uncomfortable to dress. She checked to see that she was still alone before fully opening the door to vent the excess steam. She made her way into the room and laid her clothes on the bed. She turned on the TV to distract herself from her thoughts while she finished dressing.

Returning to the bathroom, she wiped away the remaining fog on the mirror and checked her hair and face. The rosy pink glow the shower had given her face distracted from her eyes. She ran a brush and a small amount of product through her hair, then brushed her teeth and applied her makeup. Satisfied with her appearance, she straightened the bathroom, put away her dirty clothes and made the bed.

She procrastinated as long as she could, but it was time to go find him. She was scared of her feelings. Was it fear, or was it anxiety? Whatever it was, she hated it. She knew the only way to make it go away. She gathered her courage and left the safety of the room. The brightness of the hallway encouraged her as she strode to the foyer. She stopped when she reached the reception desk. The always perky Mandy cheerfully greeted her.

"Good morning Mrs. Donaldson."

"Morning," Kate replied. "I was wondering if you had seen my husband. He woke up earlier than I did and I'm not sure where he might be."

"He said you might stop by and he said to let you know that he would be waiting for you in the dining room."

'_Damn it, he's considerate even when he's mad at me'. _She thanked her and headed to the dining room.

….

Scanning the room as she stood at the entrance, she found him sitting at a small table off to the right. He was facing the door and she watched him as he picked at his food. She turned away and headed to the breakfast bar to load up a plate before she joined him. She wasn't very hungry, but she didn't want to sit down across from him empty handed. She hoped the plate of food would act as a buffer and give her something to look at besides him. With her plate filled, she nervously headed to his table.

"Hey," she said, as she set her plate down across from his.

"Hey," He replied, but did not meet her gaze as she sat down.

Looking at him, she could tell he hadn't slept. The previous day's clothes he still wore hung loosely on his body. His hair was mussed and a dark growth of stubble accented his jaw line. _'How does he manage to look so good, even when he shouldn't'? _She returned her focus and found his eyes looking into hers. Breaking the silence, he spoke; telling her what he knew she needed to hear.

"So, here's what I've been thinking," he explained, as he leaned onto his elbows. "The best time to get into the kitchen will be at lunch time. I noticed yesterday, that aside from the standard lunch buffet, they also offer a menu. I thought we would order a couple of their nicer dishes and when we were finished eating, we'd ask to compliment the chef. Chefs have the biggest egos in the world and they loved to be stroked, so it'll be an easy in. And then, we can hint that we work for an upscale magazine and how this place would make and interesting story. If he falls for it we can ask for a tour of the kitchen, and I'm sure I'll be able to get you in to see more if I ply him just right."

She sat there for a moment, dumbfounded. It was not what she was expecting to hear, not after last night, but she would take it.

"Yeah, that sounds good. We'll do that." She nodded her head and gave him a weak smile.

"Good," he smiled. "And oh…whatever you do," he said, pointing his fork at a jellied blob sitting on her plate, "…I wouldn't eat that. It tastes like something you'd find congealed at the bottom of a dumpster."

"Good to know," she said as she turned her plate.

Castle's mood and good humor went a long way to quelling her anxieties. But with their first couples session set to begin in less than twenty minutes, she could feel them starting to return. Castle excused himself and ran back to the room to freshen up before the meeting. Kate took a cup of coffee to go and paced nervously in the foyer as she waited for his return.

He arrived, refreshed and shaven with just minutes to spare before their session. They walked in silence to Dr. Leibowitz's office. Both were nervous, but for different reasons.


	16. The Session

**The Session**

Dr. Leibowitz greeted them with a warm smile as they entered her office. She offered them a seat on a large overstuffed yellow couch that graced the far side of her office. She was ready for the challenge of getting them to open up to one another. She would have to direct the questions in a way that would make it easier to draw from personal experience rather than to try and make something up. Her plan was to keep the reference to their partnership and away from their fake "marriage". This should keep the focused on them. Of the pair, she believed that Rick was the most receptive to the therapy. He had been totally honest yesterday and she would use him as the catalyst for this session. Kate would be the most difficult of the pair. If she pushed to hard or too fast she would likely clam up or worse, she would bolt. Taking it slow was her best option. She waited till they were seated before settling into her own solitary chair.

Rick noticed that Kate quickly sat down at one end of the couch and grabbed the armrest as if she were trying to secure the safest place. He wasn't about to sit in the middle. I would signal that she had control over where he sat and he couldn't have that, could he. He purposely sat down at the opposite end, crossed his legs and casually draped his arm across the back of the couch. The doctor took this as her cue to begin. She began by making light of their distance.

"I'm picking up on a little hostility this morning. Bad night?"

Kate smiled and Rick gave a small laugh.

"Well, it's definitely not all peaches and cream, but then again, it's why we're here." He said, giving the doctor one of his charming smiles.

Dr. Leibowitz spent the first half hour of their session explaining couples therapy and that the sessions would only work if they were willing to contribute. She told them that they would analyze the good and bad parts of their relationship and try to pinpoint and understand the source of their conflicts. She spoke until she finally saw Kate release her grip on the couch and begin to relax. Finishing her monologue it was time to get the session started.

"So, now that you two know what to expect, I want to begin by talking about the question I had asked each of you at the beginning of yesterday's session. Do you both remember?"

They both nodded in agreement.

"Good. Because if you both hadn't said yes, you wouldn't be here right now; you'd still be in individual therapy or worse, I would have sent you home."

She paused a moment for the information to sink in. Rick sought out Kate's face but she kept her eyes fixed on her hands resting in her lap. Dr Leibowitz sat back into her chair and looked at Kate. _She was going to be a tough nut to crack._

"So Rick, let's start with you. What is it that you want from Kate?"

He thought a moment before he responded. "Well, I want to know where our relationship stands."

"Is that all you want?"

"Yes, because I don't know what this is anymore," he motioned in a circle between himself and Kate. "And whatever this is, I don't like it. Not anymore."

Dr. Leibowitz noticed Kate's brow furrow as he spoke, but she never took her eyes from her hands.

"Kate, are you satisfied with the way things are in your relationship?"

"No." she spoke, still avoiding eye contact.

"Rick, what do you see as the good points of your relationship with Kate?

"Foremost is my trust in her. I trust her completely. Next, I would have to say our companionship. I think we compliment each other. It's been pointed out to us on several occasions that we even finish each others sentences. How simpatico is that? He laughed and looked to Kate again. He saw a smile creep up the left side of her mouth.

"If those are your good point, what are the bad ones?

Rick put his hand to his chin in thought. How would he phrase his words in a way that would not piss her off? He couldn't. So he finally answered with a lot of trepidation.

"Our lack of intimacy," he watched Kate's face pale as he said this.

Kate was stunned. _Did he really just say that? _She had spent years avoiding thoughts of intimacy with him. Was he actually going to challenge their relationship, here, now?

Dr. Leibowitz noticed Kate's reaction to his reply. Rick had exposed the heart of their problem and she looked like she was ready to run. Her plan of taking it slow just went out the window. Rick was eager to confront her so she would have to let this play out, whatever the consequences.

"Then you need to talk to your her and say that you want to change your relationship and that you will do what ever it takes to have an intimate fulfilling relationship.

"I've been trying to tell her. I wrote a 300 page letter trying to tell her!" His frustrations were coming out as anger.

"When was the last time you remember telling Kate, I love you."

She had him there. "Uh…if you count by accident…once…while we were working."

"So how long do you plan on torturing yourself with this unexpressed and unacknowledged need that you have for Kate?"

"How can I tell her? I'm afraid of how she'll react!"

"I think you're more afraid of the _thought_ of what she might do. You think the worse, so that is what you have come to believe. But guess what? The truth is usually opposite of what we believe. So don't de afraid to ask her what you want."

Kate watched this entire exchange take place and she couldn't believe what she was hearing. He wasn't making something up, he was talking about her. About what they both had been avoiding for so long. Her heart was racing and her face growing flush. Suddenly the conversation was directed to her.

"And you, Kate, think about all those reasons you come up with for staying away from his love when you should be thinking of all the reasons for falling in love. All you have to do is change your thinking and your emotions will follow."

"Rick, if you told her you loved her and she ran away, why do you think that would be?"

"All my baggage, my past and my persona, it scares her."

Kate eyes were upon Rick as he spoke.

"Everyone has a past, what about yours do you think scares her.

"My failed marriages."

"Is this true Kate?" The doctor asked, drawing her in to the exchange.

"No."

"No?" Rick was surprised by her answer. He leaned forward on the couch and angled himself towards her.

"Well then, what is it?"

She resigned herself to having this out, so she replied honestly.

I've met you exes' Rick and that's not me. I don't want that to be me."

Rick moved down the couch to sit next to her. He reached down and took one of her hands in his. Kate found she couldn't keep the intensity of his gaze so she let her head and eyes fall the her hand that he held

"Kate, they are not who you are! You are like no other woman that I have ever met. You didn't fall for my persona. You're a woman who wants substance, not flash. It took me a while to realize that. I wanted you to change your mind about me, but then I realized I needed to change my mind about myself. I wanted to be the kind of man that my family would deserve and that you would deserve. Because you deserve the best and I don't know if I can ever live up to that, but I want to try. The last thing you need in your life is someone who will let you down, but I promise you…I promise…I will never let you down."

Kate listened to his plea, and when she looked up there were tears in her eyes.

"Look, I didn't get married twice just for the novelty of it. I just didn't know how to find the right one. You know, they say a man usually marries his mother. Well I did, twice… and then I let my mother move in with me. How Freudian is that?" He paused. "You…Kate, are definitely not like my mother."

She had to smile at his aphorism. She loved that he always had one, even for the most serious of moments. _God, she loved this man_! She wanted to tell him, but not here. She didn't want to be forced into it at some shrink session. She smiled back at him intently, gabbed his hand in hers and pulled him off he couch.

"Let's go!" The confusion she saw on his face almost made her laugh. She looked over at Dr. Leibowitz who looked a little stunned herself.

"We're not through with this session," the doctor reminded her.

"Yes, we are. There's something very important I have to do, but I want to thank you for your help."

She pulled Rick out the door and to the stairs. She kept a tight grip on his hand as she dragged him through the foyer, down the hallway and into their room. She had walked so fast that they were slightly out of breath when they arrived. She let go of his hand and paced the room nervously, running her hands through her hair before she quietly mumbled.

"Couldn't do it, not there."

Rick had stood there confused, watching her pace. He didn't know what had happened or what she was doing.

"Couldn't do what? He wanted to know.

Her pacing had brought her within a few feet of where he stood. She looked into his eyes and suddenly closed the distance between them.

"This," she whispered as she reached her hand around his neck and brought her lips to meet his.

He was surprised by her kiss. He thought he'd pissed her off, that he'd pushed her too far with what he had said. He never expected this. He couldn't tell if he was breathing heavily from her force march to the room or from the most wonderful kiss he'd ever felt in his life. A bigger surprise came as she clung to his neck in a tight embrace and whispered softly in his ear.

"I love you."

He retuned her tight embrace, lifting her off the ground.

"Yes!" He yelled in triumph and began whirling her around the room until they collapsed in a dizzying heap upon the bed. She lay atop his chest, his eyes smiling into hers before he spoke.

"I love you too Kate. I've wanted to tell you for a long, long time, but life kept screwing things up. And I meant what I said upstairs. I will not let you down. I will no let us down. I just want…"

"Castle," she interrupted.

"What?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

He laughed as he kissed her lips and lost himself in the incredible beauty, wonderful taste and sensual smell of one Kate Beckett.

Finding herself in his arms was amazing. To be honest she had dreamed of this day long before they had ever met. She had fallen in love with his books and then with his picture on the dust jacket. But her fantasy and his reality didn't quite turned out to be the same. The suave, carefree, playboy persona he had crafted for himself had pushed her away. She lost her next thought as his hands found there way under her shirt and were now touching her bare skin at the small of her back.

Rick was overwhelmed by the passion he felt for this woman. A part of him was dying to make love to her, to share the most intimate moments one person could share with another, but he knew what part of him wanted that. The other part, the logical part knew she deserved better...knew she wanted better. And he wanted her to have that one thing before he could have her. He slid his hands out from under her shirt and pulled them both into a sitting position on the edge of the bed.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Kate," he said as he kissed her again reassuringly. "I just don't want the most romantic moment of our lives to be here. It's too much like a cheap motel."

Kate laughed as she remembered the imagery of when she had awoken in the back of the Escalade.

"What's so funny?"

"You're right; I don't want a cheap motel."

"So what do we do now?"

"Now," she said. "We wait. Lunch starts in about an hour. We do our job and go home."

He gave her a devilish grin and pushed her back down on to the bed.

"No reason we can't make out until then."

"Castle!" She admonished, playfully pushing him away.

"Is _Castle_, going to be used as a term of endearment, or is it going to be more of a _Castle_ don't piss me off kind of phrase?"

"The latter," she said rolling her eyes.

"I love when you that."

"What?"

"Roll your eyes like that. I also love it when you bite your bottom lip, very sexy you know."

Kate laughed and then knowingly bit her lip.

"You knew? You knew it drove me crazy and you did it on purpose didn't you!" She laughed harder. "Damn you, that's the last time I share," he pouted.

"Oh come here," she said, and drew him into her embrace.


	17. The Return

**The Return**

Their adolescent make-out session lasted long enough for hair to be tousled, clothes to be pulled and wrinkled and places to be touched that shouldn't have been if they'd wanted to take it slow.

"We'd better stop," Rick whispered as he rested his forehead on hers.

"What's the matter Rick, I thought you couldn't wait to get me in bed," she replied seductively, not wanting to pass on the opportunity to tease.

"Oh ho…," he laughed lightly, "…I see how it is, now that you want me in bed you expect me to roll over, lay back and be a good boy. I don't work that way." He reluctantly left her warm embrace and reached for the TV remote. They needed a distraction.

While he channel surfed, Kate busied herself by running her hands through her tangled hair and tugging her shirt back to its proper position.

Settling on a rerun of The Family Guy, Rick piled their pillows against the headboard, settled back and reached out his arm to entice her to join him.

She nestled back into his embrace, grateful for his restraint and a little embarrassed at the lack of her own. It wasn't as if she'd been celibate during the time she had known him. She'd had her share of men, but she'd never given herself completely to one of them. She was saving that for the one. For the one and done that she finally allow herself to find in him. To finally see past the man-child to the man he really was…the man that she loved.

Her thoughts were interrupted by his raucous laughter as he watched Stewie's head acquire its football like shape. She shook her head and laughed, not at the TV, but at her man-child. Rick heard her laughing.

"You like Family Guy too?"

"Yeah," she replied, patting his chest. "I like Family Guy." She started watching and discovered it was rather funny, especially the dog and the baby. She soon found herself laughing at the show rather than at him.

During the next commercial break she felt his hand at the front of her blouse. She casually swatted it away. It returned. She swatted it again. The commercial finished and the show resumed. She was busy laughing at Stewie when she felt his hand at her blouse again.

"Castle, what are you doing?"

"I was just remembering that day outside the Old Haunt."

"Which day was that, we've been there more than once."

"That day when I told you to pop one more button, I wanted to see that again."

"Yeah?" She asked, biting at her bottom lip.

"Oh yeah." he said as he pulled his arm free and sat up beside her.

Kate slowly reached her hand to the button on her blouse and popped it open to reveal the black lace bra hidden underneath. She never realized that one button could be so erotic. The look on his face made her entire body flush. She almost lost it when he reached over with his index finger and placed it on her chest. He lightly ran it down her skin until he reached her bra, he continued on, sliding his finger into the gap the bra left between her breasts. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She had no idea how long his finger lingered before she felt him slowly slide it back out of its hiding place. Free from his touch she quickly rolled over and stood next to the bed.

"Lunch time, lets go," she ordered. It was her turn to throw a bucket of water on the fire.

"What?" His brain still hadn't registered that she'd left the bed.

"Lunch time," she repeated, with little response. "Back to work, cheap motel, any of this getting through?"

"Yeah…yeah," he mumbled as his eyes finally found their focus on hers. "Lunch…right, I'm getting' up," he slid across and sat on the edge of the bed. She was at the door when she noticed he wasn't following.

"You coming?"

He had to laugh. "Can you give me a minute," he asked as he gingerly crossed his legs, "…or two?"

She snorted a little laugh as she walked over to him.

"Why don't I just pack our things, Casanova, and you let me know when you're ready.

"Ha, ha…very funny, this is all your fault.

"Yeah…right." She cut her eyes at him as she made her way around the room. "I think you brought that on yourself."

He sat there contentedly watching her lithe form as she moved about the room gathering their things.

Five minutes later they were out the door and back to work. Castle's plan worked like a charm and they soon found themselves in the kitchen speaking to a chef whose ego matched his rotund girth. Rick was playing him so well that she could have brought in the entire NYPD to do the search and he would have never noticed. She easily slipped away and made her inspections. She returned twenty minutes later and flashed him the Ok sign. Rick found it difficult to break away from the man. He threw Kate a pleading '_Help me'_ look, so she walked over and handed him her cell phone.

"Can you excuse us please; Mr. Donaldson has a conference call with his editor in five minutes that cannot be missed." Rick made his goodbyes and they hurriedly left the kitchen.

"So, what did you find?"

"Nothing…again. This just doesn't make any sense. Where did the state police get the intel on this place from? I can't believe an operation that large could up and moved overnight. There's no way…not enough time. State blew it, that's all there is."

"So…what now?"

"Now, we go get our stuff and get the hell out of here."

"I'm all for that." He gave her his arm and led the way back to their room.

...

It took some asking, pleading and demanding from Kate and then the smooth charm of Rick to try and get their car key from a visibly upset Mandy. She couldn't understand why they were leaving so abruptly. I wasn't until she had called Dr. Leibowitz and had gotten her ok that she actually gave Rick the keys. They passed on the valet service and headed to the car eager to get home.

He opened the doors with the remote and they threw their luggage in the back. Kate then stood by the driver's door with her hand held out waiting for the key.

"No…no…no…I think you've emasculated me enough over the last three years, I'm driving back." He stared her down until she conceded. She caught a glimpse of his triumphant grin as she sat down in the passenger seat, before she had to hang on tightly to her door handle as he drove away from the Center like a man who was used to driving a Ferrari, not an Escalade. His driving settled down once they arrived at the highway. He looked over at Kate.

"You can let go now."

"Thanks."

Kate adjusted her seat and leaned back to get comfortable for the ride home. Home…she reflected on the word. They had spent so much time in the Escalade that as she relaxed in her seat, it felt like home.

"You know, I think I might actually miss this car, I have some great memories in here. Well, they may not have been great at the time, but now I'm really glad they happened."

"I know what you mean." He said, reaching over to hold her hand. They drove in a companionable silence till Kate spoke again.

"Thanks for driving."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'd forgotten what it was like to actually sit back and watch the world go by. I'm usually too busy watching traffic while heading to a crime scene to notice anything going on around me.

"Good, I'm glad to be of assistance. Does this mean I can drive your car when we…"

"No."

"Just checking".

Forty minutes into their return trip, Rick turned on his blinker and exited the highway. Kate figured he was making a pit stop at the gas station at the end of the off ramp, but he took a right at the stop sign and continued on away from the highway.

"This isn't the way we came."

"Don't worry," he said. "I know where I'm going."

"And where's that?"

"We are heading to a small quaint town where it is said one can find the best apple pie in the state." He smiled and she frowned. "Well…at least that's what Bob and Suzanne Burke told me at the breakfast bar this morning. Really nice people, he's an orthodontist and she's a stay at home mom with twin two year olds. Their marital problems were about money, not love. At least, that's what they told me. Anyway, to make a long story short…"

"Too late," she squeezed in.

"…they told me it was a really cool place not to far off Highway 90. I figured we deserved a little us time before we had to get back to the city."

"Sure, why not. I like apple pie"

Ten minutes later their arrival to the town was heralded by a mismatch of old brick facade storefronts that lined both sides of the road. Rick cruised slowly thru town trying to spot the place.

"It's called Hourglass Antiques," he told Kate.

"We're having pie at an antique store?"

"Diversification, they were probably looking for a way to stay economically viable this bad economy. There it is!" He pointed to the opposite side of the street. Traffic kept him from stopping, so he drove down two blocks before he was able to turn around in the parking lot of the town's city hall. He drove back looking for the first available parking spot. They passed a mom and pop video store. "Good luck with that one," Rick mumbled. Next were the town pharmacy followed by a salon. Back at the antique store he found parking just past the front door. They exited the Escalade and Kate headed for the door while Rick scanned the rest of the town. Across the street he could make out a hardware store, a jewelry store, and an auto parts store. Everything a small town needed to survive.

"Comin' in?" Kate asked as she held the door open.

"Yeah." He turned and joined her, reaching above her head to hold the door so she could enter first.

As antique stores went, Kate thought, this place was amazing. She has hit up a number of shops back in New York to furnish her new apartment, but none were set up like this place. There was a main aisle around the store and there were different sections all around the aisle and each section displayed antiques by theme. There was an antique toy section, a Christmas section, a red and white items only section. The themes were many and varied.

"Wow, this place is great!" Rick said, making a bee line for the toy section.

"Look," Kate said as she followed him, "…each section has its own table and menus. You can eat lunch in any section of the store."

"Mmm," was all he said, so she left him to ogle the toys and made her way through the store, keeping an eye out for anything of interest. She made it halfway through the store before he caught up with her.

"See anything you like," he asked with a big grin.

She looked him up and down. "I see a few things I might want."

"Oh yeah, like what?" he asked huskily as he moved in closer.

She reached over to a display and grabbed something that caught her eye and held it in front of his face.

"Like this Ken doll. I love his cowboy outfit, especially the chaps; it makes him look ruggedly handsome."

His grin turned to a smirk as he reached out and grasped the hand holding the doll and pulled her to his chest. "He may be ruggedly handsome, but is he anatomically correct?"

He stifled her laugh with a long and rather passionate kiss. They were eventually separated by a woman's voice speaking to them.

"May I help you?"

"No…Yes," they said simultaneously.

They laughed and turned to find a young and very pregnant woman standing behind them.

"Yes," Rick repeated. "We are here for what is supposed to be the best apple pie in the state of New York."

"That it is," she replied, "would you like one slice or two."

"Two," Rick said.

"With or without ice cream?"

He looked at Kate; she just raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders.

"With."

"Two slices with ice cream coming up. Do you want anything to drink?"

"Just water," Rick replied.

"Ok then, find yourselves a table and I will find you." They watched as the young woman waddled away.

"Let's have a seat," Rick said, leading her into what looked like the Halloween section.

"I'm not eating in there."

"Why not, it's cool."

"No its not, it's creepy. Let's find somewhere else," she looked across the way.

"I'm not sitting in the doll section, now that's creepy, all those eye looking at me, gives me the willies," he shivered.

"Here's a safe one," she said. It's an all blue section; it'll compliment your eyes."

"Why my dear detective, flattery will get you everywhere," he kissed her hand and escorted her to the table.

Once Kate was seated, Rick excused himself and headed to the bathroom. When he was out of her sight he changed direction and headed back through the store and out the front door, then quickly ran across the street.

Kate was busy admiring the blue antique collection when the warm pie and ice cream arrived. She thanked the girl and wondered what was taking Rick so long. It was another five minutes before he finally returned looking a little out of breath.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

"I'm fine, why?"

"You seem a little winded, that's all. What took so long, you get lost?"

"No, I was just hurrying to get back before the ice cream melts."

She gave him a puzzled look as she watched him attack his pie. She joined in and soon they were both raving that it was the best pie ever. Rick finished first and sat back to watch her eat. Watching her was different now; he noticed that she didn't seem to mind, it almost took some of the fun out of it, almost. Kate finished her pie and asked him where the restrooms were. He gave her directions waited for her return. Minutes later when Kate returned, she noticed that the table had been cleared and that he was looking intently at nothing while nervously biting his thumbnail.

"What's the matter?" She asked as she returned to her seat. He reached across the table and took hold of her hand.

"Kate, there's some things I need to say before we go back."

"Ok," she replied as she looked at the earnestness in his eyes.

"I don't want to be your boyfriend."

"What?" She wondered if she had heard him correctly when he repeated the statement.

"I don't want to be your boyfriend. You've been there and done that, and that's not good enough for you. I know what you want, and it's the same thing that I want."

He let go of her hand and reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a black velvet box, he set it down gently on the table in front of her. Her brow started to furrow and he began to worry as he continued.

"We're not kids Kate, I don't want to be just another boyfriend and I don't want to date. I want to be your husband. I want a family with you, because as it is, it's not complete without you," he paused a moment before asking the most important question of his life. "So, Katherine Beckett," he said opening the box on the table. "Will you marry me?"

Her brow remained furrowed but he could see tears beginning to shimmer in her eyes. One escaped and slid down her cheek. She picked up the box that contained two simple gold wedding bands and looked into his worried eyes.

"Yes…you big oaf," she replied choking back her tears. "I'll marry you."

As soon as he heard those four wonderful words, he was up and around to her side of the table. He lifted her out of her chair and held her tightly.

"As long as I'm your big oaf, I'm happy."

"I'm happy too," she said, wiping the tears from her face. "I'm glad you asked me, because I don't want to play, put off or pretend anymore. And you're right, I don't want another boyfriend. I'm ready for this. So thank you, for knowing me so well and for giving me what I need," she placed her hand on his cheek. "And what I need is you."

He smiled back at her with all the love he felt. He reached up for her hand and grasped it with his own as he suddenly pulled her away from the table and down the aisle.

"Come on, there's not much time," he said earnestly, looking at his watch.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see," he said as he led her down the aisle and out the front door.

She didn't resist.

.


	18. The Discovery

**The Discovery**

Dr. Leibowitz watched from the foyer as Rick and Kate drove away from the Center. She'd blown it. She'd let the session get away from her and the choice she made had cost them. She retuned to her office, dreading the call she would have to make. She let her hand linger on the phone before she removed it from the cradle and put it to her ear. Flipping thru the address book on her desk, she found his number and made the call.

"Hello," came a groggy the voice from the other end.

"Hi Jim, its Karen, did I wake you?"

"Hey Karen…no, it's ok…are you calling with news?"

"Yes, but not good I'm afraid."

"What's happened?" He asked.

"They've left," she said bluntly.

"What?" Surprise caused his voice to peak.

"They barely made it through this morning's session before Kate ended it."

"Why?"

"Well, I had planned to take is slowly over the next two days, to let them get used to the idea of talking openly, but during this first session Rick unloaded everything on her and what I was afraid of happened, Kate bolted. I blew it. I should have reined him in but he was eager to confront her, so I let him.

"Did anything positive come from the session at all?"

"We know where Rick stands in the relationship. He wants it to work with her. She's the obstacle. We'll have to leave it to him to finish what he started here today. We can only hope for the best." She tried to sound optimistic.

"We've been hoping for over a year now, I don't know if we can take it much longer," he said as frustration crept into his voice.

"You'll need to hang in there a little longer, because good or bad, I believe something will come of this. I'm certain."

"I hope you're right doc."

"I do feel bad about letting you down on my end of the deal. I know it took a lot of coordination to get them here and I feel like I failed."

"Don't worry about it, you did your best. I'm glad our plan made it as far as it did. Anyway, when it comes right down to it, it's really up to them."

"Yeah…you can't force love. If it's meant to be, it will be," she agreed.

"I want to thank you for calling and giving me a heads up. I'll pass along the news."

"Thank you, for not being too disappointed."

"I wouldn't say I wasn't disappointed, I just wouldn't be looking forward to reading anything new if I were you," he laughed jokingly.

"Oh you're a cruel man Mr. Patterson," she replied.

"I'm just teasing; I've already arranged to have a copy sent to you as soon as it's available."

"Thanks, I'm looking forward to reading it.

"Thank you, for agreeing to play along. I'll talk to you later."

"Let me know how it turns out."

"I will. Bye."

He hung up and sat back in his chair, trying to think of a way to salvage the plan. He came up empty. Best just to let it play out on its own. He placed calls to Martha and Captain Montgomery and gave them the disappointing news. He prefaced his calls with a quick synopsis of the session they'd had with Dr. Leibowitz before he broke the bad news that they had left the Center. He told them it was a partial success and hoped it would be the final push needed to bring the two together.

Captain Montgomery had thanked him for everything he'd done and rang off promising to keep him informed on any new developments. Martha had been a little more than upset at the plans failure. He told her not to worry and that they needed to give them time to work it out on their own. She eventually agreed with him and said that she would not play the interfering mother.

Content with the fruits of his labors he returned to his office couch to finish the nap from which he had been interrupted.

…

Back on the road, Rick and Kate couldn't wait to get home. The tension that had hung between them the past year was gone. It was replaced by a contentment that mended their souls. Rick felt as if he'd been given absolution for the past eighteen years of bad choices he'd made when it came to women and Kate felt a patch had been placed over the hole her mother had left in her heart. It was amazing how one small act could change so much.

Rick had a hard time keeping his eyes on the road. He kept glancing over at Kate, enjoying her radiant features as she stared silently out the window, lost in her own thoughts. The ever present furrow of her brow had been banished by the day's events and he prayed silently that it would never return. Their peaceful reverie was suddenly thrashed by a nerve jarring wail coming from his breast pocket.

"Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad!"

The sound of Alexis' custom made ring tone reverberating through the quiet vehicle made him veer onto the shoulder of the road and made Kate visibly jump in her seat. He regained his lane and Kate her composure as he fumbled with the phone, hastily trying to answer her call and put an end to the noise.

Her perky voice greeted him at the other end. "Hey dad!"

"Hey pumpkin, what's up?"

"Nothing much, I'm going to be sleeping over at Kaylee's tonight so I thought I'd call you now, I might miss your call later. Are you and Kate having fun working undercover?"

"I don't know if you can call it fun, the whole thing turned out to be a bust. We didn't find a thing. It's a good thing you called me though, I meant to call you to let you know that we're on our way home. We should be there in a couple of hours."

"So soon…I thought you two were booked there till Monday?"

"We were booked there for our covers, once we didn't find anything there was no reason for us to stay."

Uh…ok." There was a ring of disappointment to her voice.

"Were you and Gram hoping I'd be gone all weekend? She's not planning some kind of crazy party at the house with her friends is she, she knows you have to study for your finals…and hey, why are you going to Kaylee's? Shouldn't you be studying?"

"Dad, I'm going this evening. I need a break. I'll be back home early tomorrow to study some more…is that ok?"

"Sure, you know my philosophy…party before study!"

"Yeah I know. So, were you nice to Kate? You didn't give her a hard time, did you?"

"No, I didn't give Kate a hard time," he said, smiling at Kate as she listened to his side of the conversation.

"Good, cause she's really nice and I like her a lot."

"Don't worry," he said winking at Kate. "I was a perfect gentleman."

"Ok dad, I'll see you in the morning. Say hi to Kate for me."

"I will."

"Love ya."

"Love you too,"

Kate spoke up as soon as the phone slid shut.

"You know, you really ought to think about changing her ring tone. That's the second time it's almost gotten us killed. Why not replace it with a Taylor Swift song. I don't think she'd mind."

"Please, do it now," he said handing her his phone. "That scared the crap out of me."

"I don't know how to work this thing," she said as she handed it back. "I'd probably wind up erasing your entire contact list."

"We'll just have to fix that," he replied as he returned the phone to his pocket. "I'll get you one like mine."

"Don't start showering me with gifts Mr. Castle. I don't need a new phone."

"Not even one with that cool fingerprint app like Agent Shaw had?" He grinned at her.

"Now that you mention it, this phone does get crappy reception. It wouldn't hurt to have a more reliable one," she conceded, returning his grin.

He reached back into his pocket to let her play with his phone when her phone began ringing.

"Beckett," she answered curtly.

"Afternoon Detective, how's your op going?" It was Captain Montgomery.

"It was a bust sir. There's nothing there. State had some really bad intel on this one. We're on our way back already."

"Sorry you had to go thru all that for nothing, maybe next time I tell you to take your vacation you will."

"Yes sir, you won't have to force me again."

"So, how did things work out with Castle?"

"What do you mean?" The open ended question had her flustered.

"Did he do a good job being undercover? He's not exactly trained for that kind of assignment."

"Oh…right…he did just fine. I wouldn't call him a pro, but he can hold his own," she said, giving Rick a quick wink of her own.

"Good to hear. You two can take it easy now. I don't want to see you back here till Monday morning, you got that detective."

"Yes sir. Oh…what about the car?"

"You can bring it in with you on Monday, robbery divisions not expecting it back till then."

"Ok, thank you sir." She closed her phone and reached over and took the phone that Rick was still holding in his hand.

"So, tell me how this thing works."

For the next ten minutes Rick was consumed with explaining all the features of his phone. She was always astounded at his passion for technology, his desire for the latest and the greatest. 'Boys and their toys,' she thought as a smile lit her face. She was startled from her reverie by his phone suddenly vibrating in her hand and a picture of Martha appearing on the screen. She handed it back to Rick as the theme song to _A Star is Born _began to play. She rolled her eyes and he could only shrug his shoulders and smile back as he took the phone from her hand.

"Hello mother."

"Darling! How's it going? How are you and Detective Beckett?"

"We're fine, how are you?"

"I couldn't be better. The reason I'm calling is to tell you that I'm letting Alexis go on a sleepover tonight with her friend Kaylee. I hope you don't mind."

"No, it's ok."

"Anyway, since she's going to be out I called up some old theatre friends of mine and…"

"Oh mother, don't, you promised me you wouldn't," he said with sigh of exasperation.

"…and if you'd let me finish. We're going to go out tonight to close down Broadway just like we used to years ago, so I won't be home tonight. There, are you happy now. No ones coming to your house, I promise."

"Thank you, I'm glad to hear it."

"You're welcome. So that's the reason I was calling, to let you know that neither of us will be home tonight and that the house will be empty."

"Ok…have a nice time."

"I will, bye bye!" She hung up before he could say goodbye.

He started to hand his phone back to Kate but she waved him off.

"That's enough for now…my brain can't take in too much techno crap at one time."

"Techno crap? Woman I can see this relationship is heading for trouble already," he smirked at her. She punched him in the arm and he winced like a little girl.

"No… I think its going work just fine."

They both laughed and he held her hand, partly to keep from being punched again as he expounded on the latest statistics that showed an increase in the number of male victims of domestic violence. She was seriously considering punching him again when her phone went off. This time she looked at he caller ID before she answered.

"It's Lanie."

"Didn't you tell her you were working out of town this weekend?"

"Yeah," she replied as she answered the phone.

"Hey Lanie, what's going on?"

"I'm calling to ask you the same thing."

"There's nothing going on here Lanie, just work." She rolled her eyes, shook her head. She put it on speaker phone and pressed her finger to her lips for silence. She already knew what she was going to say, she wanted Rick to hear what she had to put up with. A sinister grin spread across his face as he listened in.

"Damn woman, you're not gonna get many more opportunities like this, alone in the woods for a weekend with a steaming hot guy who obviously got it bad for you. Girl, I know you've read all his books, don't you ever want to experience one of those sex scenes he writes, I mean if he can write it, he can probably do it. Hell, if I wasn't already straddling my own hunky detective I'd say I'm gonna have to step right over you and find out what the ride is like for myself 'casue I'm getting tired of waiting for you to tell me." As she stopped to take a breath, Rick quickly interjected.

"Why Dr. Parish, anytime you want a ride I'll be more than happy to oblige."

Silence was all they heard.

"I think…she hung up," he snorted out between the laughter. Kate was laughing so hard her eyes were streaming with tears. Rick handed her his handkerchief.

"Thank you," she squeaked out as she dabbed her eyes. "She may never speak to us again."

"At least not without blushing," he laughed.

They had barley recuperated from Lanie's call when her phone rang again.

"It's Ryan," she said.

"I thought he and Jenny were on vacation?" Rick wondered aloud.

"Yeah, he is, or was," she answered his call with a question. "Hey Ryan, why are you calling me, aren't you on vacation?"

"Yeah, I am. I just thought I'd check in with you before Monday. See if any new bodies had dropped."

"Well since you guys are both gone you should know that I'm not on rotation and that means no bodies till Monday. Jeez Ryan, great detective skills there," she ribbed.

"Right…ok…so then…everything else ok? How's Castle?"

"How would I know, it's not like we're attached at the hip. Why don't you call him?" She was beginning to become a little exasperated at the intrusiveness of her co-workers.

"It's just that…he is usually shadowing you…and I thought he might be…you know?"

"No I don't know. Do you want to tell me?" The edge to her voice became sharper.

'It's just… I thought… he might be with you…I was just asking. I'm not trying to imply…"

"Imply what?" Her voice rose as she demanded an answer.

"Nothing…I…what's that…ok…I gotta go…Jenny's yelling at me… she'd gotten something stuck…somewhere…ok, bye." He hung up before Kate could grill him further.

"What the hell was that all about?" She asked as she stared at her phone. "I think there's something weird going on. Just about everyone we know has called us within the last half hour. What's up with that?" She looked to Rick for an answer.

"I was beginning to wonder myself. There's only one person left to call us. If he does then I'd have to say…conspiracy theory."

"For once," she said. "I'd have to agree with you."

Then as if on cue, her phone rang. It was Esposito.

"I don't know if I want to answer this?" She said.

"Then don't," he replied. He took the phone from her hand and slipped it into his pocket.

"What's going on here Rick?" He met her eyes as she still searched his for answers.

"I may have an idea," he pondered.

"Do you want to share?" She asked.

"Think back on this assignment. Nothing has gone according to plan. The GPS giving wrong directions, the car cutting out so that we're stranded with nobody coming down that road the rest of the day or night, only to be rescued by a snow plow as soon as the sun comes up, what are the odds of all these things happening in concurrence. Someone or something had to have a hand in all that. And knowing how you'd feel about something it has to be someone, but I don't see one person pulling off all of this." He could see her mind replaying the scenario of the past few days.

"And to top it all off, we have an undercover mission that doesn't exist, a mission at a couples retreat no less…oh ho ho…these guys are good. Who could have crafted something so fiendishly cleaver just to try and bring us together?"

Kate only listened to half of what he's said. So much of the past week was swirling in her head she blocked him out to try and focus. Something stood out.

"Pull over." She said

"What?"

"Don't what, just pull over, now," her adamant voice had him complying.

As they came to a stop on the side of the road, she yelled at him to pop the hood as she jumped out of the vehicle. He pulled the lever and stepped out to join her as she lifted the hood of the Escalade.

"Son of a Bitch!" She cursed.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Something that Montgomery said when he called earlier suddenly clicked. This car is from Robbery Division. This is a freakin' bait car! Look." She said as she pointed to a small yellow box attached to the ignition and electrical systems.

"No way!"

"Yes way, we were set up!"

"Damn, this is almost better than anything I could have written." She could see a light go off in his eyes as he spoke the last sentence. "Patterson!"

"What?" she asked not knowing to what he was referring.

"Patterson, he orchestrated this. This has all the hallmarks of one of his stories. Ooh… and I fell for it so easily…_you have a reprieve, Patterson finished his book early_…" He tried to mock his mother's tone.

"Do you want to explain further?" She asked.

"Yeah, but not here," he said closing the hood. "Let's get back inside before we get run over."

Once they were in the SUV and back on the road he reviewed everything that happened during the last three day, even analyzing the phone calls they'd just received. They were amazed at the lengths that their friends and family had gone to make them acknowledge what they could all see, that they belonged together. Kate was upset at having her private life manipulated.

"It's one thing to put up with you poking around my private life, but to have everyone poking around. It pisses me off."

"Come on Kate, if you want to have friends and family then nothings private anymore. Besides, do you really blame them? We've been dancing around each other since we first met, or have you forgotten what you whispered in my ear after our first case together?"

"No, I haven't," she said defensively. "And as of now _you still have no idea_ so don't piss me off either."

"I have no plans of pissing you off, dear." He added the _dear_ just to piss her off.

She glared at him and he laughed.

"Aww…come on, I know what will make you feel better."

"What?"

"Payback," he said as a mischievous grin spread across his face.

Her eyes lit up and her grin soon mimicked his.

"What do you have in mind?" she asked excitedly.

"Here," he said as he handed her a small notepad and pen from his coat pocket. "…take notes. I'll show Patterson who's the better writer."


	19. The Consummation

**The Consummation**

The last hour of their trip home flew by. Kate took notes and helped to flesh out their grand plan of revenge. They laughed together over how easy it was going to be to fool everyone. The only drawback to their plan would be the time they would have to spend apart, but they were both willing to sacrifice that to pull this off.

He talked her into having dinner at his place. They pulled into the garage of his apartment building and he parked in the second reserved spot that he leased next to his Ferrari. He pulled out his phone as they headed upstairs and scrolled to the number for Mazzolli's Restaurant. He was in the mood for Italian.

"Dinner will be here in twenty minutes," he said as the elevator doors opened to his floor.

When they arrived at his door he set down his bags and pulled his keys from his pocket. He unlocked the door and pushed it open. He bent down to pick up his luggage, but instead he reached behind Kate and lifted her off her feet.

"Castle, put me down!"

'Not a chance, its tradition, and you can't say no to tradition"

She _was _going to say no, but she caught the love glimmering in his eyes; instead she smiled and kissed him sweetly on the cheek. He crossed the threshold and set her down inside.

"Welcome home," he said.

She laughed. "I'm sorry; this is all just a little too surreal for me."

"That's ok, you have two weeks to get used to it." He slapped her on the ass as he stepped back into the hallway to retrieve his bags. She shook her head and wandered off towards the living room. She called back to him.

"I think we were expected, the fireplace is going."

He dropped his bags at the foot of the stairs. "I'm glad to be home," he said stretching his back. "It feels like we've been gone three weeks not three days." He watched her pace around the living room, never settling down.

"Why don't you get comfortable on the couch and I'll get us a bottle of wine to have with dinner."

She conceded to his offer and made her way to the couch as she removed her coat. She draped it across the back and sat down to remove her boots. She loved the height that her boots added to her stature, but after being in them for twelve hours a day, she was always relieved to take them off her feet. She was busy massaging her left foot when he returned with a newly opened bottle of red wine and a pair of wine glasses. He filled the empty glasses and handed one to her. As he sat down beside her, he reached for her legs and pulled them into his lap.

"Let me do that for you," he offered.

He took her left foot into his hand and began massaging. She never protested, she just laid back and enjoyed the pampering. He had just switched to her other foot when the doorbell rang.

"Damn food," she grumbled.

He lifted her legs and set them in his place while he went to the door. He paid for the food and returned, setting two bulging bags down on the coffee table in front of her. He'd ordered the family size lasagna, one order of pasta primavera and a side of garlic bread. He left her to grab plates and forks from the kitchen. She dished out the food and he sat back down beside her. He turned on the TV and they relaxed into each other as they ate. They never showed any real interest in what was on and they each took turns channel surfing while the other stopped to eat.

Kate's mind eventually drifted off the TV and she gazed around his home, their home. She had just settled into her new place and she wasn't sure if she was ready for another change, was there even room for her here? She noticed Rick had stopped on a home shopping channel_. _Odd choice, she thought. When she looked at him, she noticed he wasn't watching the TV, he was watching her.

"What?"

"Dollar for your thoughts?" He said.

"Don't you mean a penny ?

"With inflation, I thought I'd get more out of you with a dollar."

She laughed. He could always make her laugh. She spoke truthfully about what was on her mind, because she didn't want to keep things from him anymore.

"I was just thinking about all the changes in my life lately, my new place, now your place…it's a lot to let go of."

"You don't have to let go of anything Kate, keep your place, it'll be our sanctuary. We may need it. This place may start to feel a little crowded for you with my mother and daughter living with us. If we ever get to a point that we don't need it, we'll let it go, but not until then."

"How is it you know just what to say?"

"I've had lots of practice saying the wrong things. I guess this nine year old is starting to grow up."

"I wouldn't say that," she laughed.

They enjoyed dinner, each others company and the entire bottle of wine. The heavy meal soon had them fast asleep on the couch. Kate was aroused from her slumber a half hour later by the increased volume of an annoying soft drink commercial blaring from the TV. She felt Rick's sleeping weight leaning against her.

Damn, falling asleep on the couch watching TV was something her parents had done. She wasn't old enough to be doing that, not yet. She jostled him awake.

"Wake up sleepyhead."

"Sorry, did I fall asleep on you?" He asked.

"We both did. It's too early to be falling asleep," she said standing up from the couch. "I'm gonna clean up this mess." She started to gather the dirty dishes, empty bags and glasses. He reached up and grabbed her hand.

"You don't have to do that," he said.

"I know I don't have to, but I want to.

"Let me help you," he offered.

"I got this," she smiled and pushed him back into the couch.

"Well I'm not going to sit here and watch you clean. I'll probably fall asleep again. I'm gonna go take a shower that should wake me up. I won't be long." He gave her a quick kiss and headed upstairs.

It took her less than five minutes to clear the dishes from the table, store the food in the fridge and load the dishwasher. She curled back up on the couch and waited for him to return. A good twenty minutes passed and he still hadn't returned. She was beginning to wonder if he had fallen asleep upstairs. Tired of waiting, she went to find him. It felt a little titillating to be wandering through the upstairs corridor on the way to his private room. She had never been up there before.

As she approached his bedroom she heard drawers being opened and closed. His door stood open. She was unprepared for what she saw as she stepped into his room. He was naked, standing with his back to her in front of a long waist high dresser that was set against the wall opposite of where she stood. A loud breath escaped her throat.

He must have heard her because his head turned slightly to the right, but he didn't turn around. Her unexpected appearance at his door had taken him by surprise and he found that he couldn't move.

Her eyes roamed his body, across his smooth broad shoulders, down the taunt muscles along his spine to the firm curve of his bottom and further down to his strong muscular legs. A single word filled her head. _Beautiful. _The only thing she wanted at that moment was to touch him, to have the feel of his skin beneath her fingertips. She felt a stir of arousal course through her body as she was propelled towards him by her desire.

He could hear her soft footsteps as she moved closer. He took his hands, one which still held on to a pair of boxers, and placed them on the dresser for support as a wave of dizziness flooded his head. He couldn't understand what was happening. Electricity coursed through him as he lost control of his body. He wanted to turn, he wanted to look at her, he wanted to breathe, but he couldn't. The feel of her eyes upon his body held him in place. He could only close his eyes and wait, for what, the impossible, the unimaginable.

He gave a sharp intake of breath as her cool hand touched his warm body. Her gentle touch started at his waist and slid its way around and up to his chest as her body was drawn into his. His breathing became ragged as her touch lit him on fire. He grabbed her hand with both of his and pressed it tightly into his chest.

She placed her free hand on his back and kissed his shoulder. She let her hand trace a line across his shoulder and down his right side till it came to rest just blow his hip, she applied a light amount of pressure to pull him to her. He wouldn't move, he remained leaning into the dresser. She could feel his body vibrating as he clenched and unclenched her hand, but he wouldn't turn.

"What's wrong?" She whispered as she looked up, unable to see his face from behind. He still would not open his eyes or meet her gaze.

She pulled her hand from his grasp and moved to his side, trying to position herself between him and the dresser. She put her hand to his cheek to turn his face to hers, she felt his tears before she saw them.

Why was he crying? What had she done? This wasn't right; she had never made a man cry before.

"Please look at me,"

She barley heard the reply that escaped his mouth. "I can't."

"Why not?" She asked as she began to tear.

"Because if I open them, the dream I'm having will be over and you'll be gone."

"I won't be gone," she promised. "I'll always be here."

He opened his eyes and his look startled her. She was used to the look of lust in the eyes of most of the men who'd wanted her and even those who professed to love her, but never had she seen this. The intensity that radiated from his tear rimmed eyes contained all the furious passion, desire, lust and love that he could rip from his heart and offer to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him into her embrace as she professed her love.

His clarity returned and he responded to her words, her tears and her warm embrace. He grasped her tightly in his arms and brushed his face against her hair. She _was_ real! He could smell the wonderful aroma of cherries as he kissed her hair, her neck and her cheek. He could even taste it on her lips. There was no self anymore. What ever this woman wanted, needed or desired, that was all he needed to live. She belonged to him; he'd found his one and done.

_Addendum: Should this chapter leave you frustrated, I may consider completing it under the title _Misdirection ! _and posting it in the "M" section. I will only write it if I get enough requests. _


	20. The Payback

**The Payback**

_Monday_

Ryan and Esposito watched from across the bullpen as Beckett checked her cell phone for the tenth time. They both winced as she tossed it down in frustration and headed to the break room.

"Where do you think he is? Ryan asked

"Dunno'…this aint good." Esposito replied shaking his head. "He's never this late and when he is he always calls. Call him again."

"I've already called him twice and left voice mails. What good is another one going to do?" Ryan replied throwing his hands up in defeat.

"The longer this goes on the more pissed she's gonna get and you know what that means…she's gonna take it out on us."

"I know." Ryan sighed. "This day is going to suck."

"Shh…what's that?" Esposito interrupted.

They could hear Beckett's cell phone ringing on her desk and they looked away when she came rushing out of the break room to answer it.

"Maybe that's him." Ryan whispered.

Kate spoke briefly, hung up her phone, set her coffee on her desk and headed towards the boys.

"I can't tell by her face…look busy she's heading this way." Javier whispered back.

Esposito spoke first, but soon wished he hadn't.

"Was that him?" He asked, looking up at Kate.

"Him?" Kate asked arching her brow.

"You know…," he didn't want to say his name.

"No, I don't know. That was the duty officer, we've got a body." She grabbed a notepad off Ryan's desk. "Here…," she said tossing the notepad with the address written on it back down on to Esposito's desk. "…I'll meet you there." She turned and walked away before they could say anything else.

"This is not good you need to call Lanie," Ryan suggested. "She may be able to talk to Kate and find out what's going on."

"I'll do better than that; I'll stop by the morgue and ask her while you bring the car around, meet you out front in ten."

They grabbed their coats and headed for the elevator.

…..

They were back on the road in fifteen and they spent the entire drive speculating on the Beckett/Castle situation. As they pulled up to the crime scene, Ryan's phone rang.

"It's Castle," Ryan said looking over at Esposito, but not answering the phone.

"Well, answer it."

"What do I say?" Ryan asked nervously.

"Uh…hello would be a start."

Ryan smirked at him as he slid open his phone.

"Ryan," he answered.

"Hey Ryan, sorry I missed you calls earlier. I…uh…overslept, what's up?"

"We've got a body, you comin'?"

"Uh…yeah…sure, text me the address and I'll be there in a few."

"Will do," Ryan said. He closed his phone and looked at Esposito again.

"That was odd," he said.

"What was?"

"Castle's attitude, he didn't sound like he really wanted to come."

"So, is he coming?" Esposito asked.

"Yeah…he said he'll be there in a few…whatever that means. We'll just have to wait and see when he shows up."

They put their personal drama aside when they stepped from their car and into the crime scene. Beckett arrived minutes later.

"Castle is on his way." Ryan announced to her as she entered the vic's bedroom.

"I'm not waiting on him. If he wants to observe he can be on time," she said with a hint of anger in her voice.

The guys hung back, keeping quiet, they let her run the scene. Ten minutes later they heard the all to familiar voice of Castle echoing down the hallway.

"Mornin' guys, I see you started without me."

They turned to greet him at the bedroom doorway and they both couldn't help but notice something different about him today. He seemed more like the man they'd met two years ago. His roguishly flippant air had returned. His clothes were rumpled and casually chic and his face was unshaven. But the main thing that was different this morning was what was missing. He was not carrying any coffee. Not one cup. Ryan was the first to speak to him.

"You seem different this morning."

"Do I?" He asked with feigned innocence.

"Yeah, you do." Esposito added.

Rick looked first at Ryan then over to Esposito. His eyes lit up and a grin began to sneak out the corners of his mouth.

"Well…if you must know…," he said looking around before he leaned into the guys and whispered, "…I met the most amazing woman Saturday night."

"Really?" Ryan was surprised.

"No way." Esposito was shocked.

"Yes way," Castle confirmed. "I popped into the bookstore Saturday night to buy a magazine and I noticed her carrying around my first Nikki Heat book, so I struck up a conversation with her. Guys, she was so smart and funny. I asked her to dinner and it turned out to be an incredible first date. You guys want to see her?"

"We're working dude?" Ryan replied.

Rick raised an eyebrow at Ryan's comment. "I'm not going to take you to her…I have her picture on my phone."

"Oh, sure…let's see."

He worked his phone to pull up the picture; he held it to his chest and spoke to the guys.

"She is not only smart and funny, but she is incredibly beautiful." He turned the phone around so that they could see.

They leaned in together for a close look and saw a statuesque beauty with dark flowing shoulder length hair and dark eyes that were twinkling with a laugh that also played across her full lips. She looked like a Greek goddess.

"So, who is she? What's her name?" Esposito asked.

"Yeah, what do you know about her?" Ryan chimed in.

Rick took a step back. "Whoa, guys, what is this! You're starting to act like you're my parents giving me the third degree."

"Hey, we're just looking out for you bro. Being a famous author and all, ladies might try and take advantage of you," Esposito explained.

"Yeah…how about I do a background check on her for you," Ryan offered.

"What! No…no…I don't need a background check on her. We spent the day together Sunday, she told me all about herself."

"So what's her name?" Ryan asked.

"I'm not telling you, not now. You'll run a check on her…and I'm not having it," he poked Ryan in the chest to make sure he understood.

"Just looking out for you…geez…lighten up." Ryan entreated.

"Just being nosey is more like it. See, this is why I don't share. You guys take something nice and you twist it all around."

"Sorry bro," Javier apologized feeling guilty, "…we didn't mean it that way."

"Yeah, sorry," Ryan added to Javier's apology.

While this conversation had been going on, they had failed to notice that Kate had joined them and was standing just outside their huddle. That was until she spoke up.

"You guys done gossiping, if so…get back to work!"

Ryan and Esposito hurried back into the bedroom to finish processing the scene.

Kate put her arm across the doorway, keeping Rick from entering.

She looked him up and down before she leaned in and whispered quietly.

"You coming...Rick?"

His eyes widen at her suggestion, and he huskily breathed his reply.

"Why yes…yes I am."

Needing the rest of their conversation to be overheard, Kate turned and entered the room. She asked Esposito for a quick report of the scene.

He gave his assessment but noticed Kate became distracted when Castle entered the room.

"Going for that playboy look again?" She asked as she eyed him up a down again.

"Why, you like?" He teased.

"In your dreams! Aren't you getting a little old for one night stands?"

"Why yes I am detective. That is why this was a two night stand."

"Humph," was Kate's only retort.

"Jealous?" Rick asked.

"Of what, another one of your deep fried Twinkies?"

"That was low!"

"Well if you're down there," she replied as she crossed her arms defensively.

"I don't have to take this…," he was interrupted by his cell phone ringing. The ring tone made Kate roll her eyes. Queen's _Crazy Little Thing Called Love_ echoed loudly around the room. "…I have to take this," he said as he headed out of the bedroom.

When Kate looked back down at the body on the floor she noticed Ryan and Esposito staring up at her with their mouths open.

"You guys have something you want to say? If not, close your mouths and get back to work!"

Rick returned a few minutes later and they all continued working the room, this time in a tense silence. Rick eventually wandered off muttering something about checking out the bathroom and Kate busied herself at the vic's desk. Fifteen minutes later, done with her task she glanced around the room and spoke to Esposito.

"Where's Castle?"

"He's checking out the vic's bathroom."

"This long, let's go find him…maybe he's found something," she suggested.

Javier headed out the door with Kate on his heels,

They arrived at the bathroom just across the hall and found what was keeping Castle. He was busy texting on his phone.

"You don't _have_ to be here, you know." Kate said trying to state the obvious.

"You're right; I don't, especially for this one, not much of a mystery here."

"What do you mean?" Kate asked.

He turned away from them and picked up something off the bathroom counter. It was a white stick from a home pregnancy test kit.

"Single woman, finds herself pregnant, gotta be the boyfriend."

He moved towards Kate and handed her the test strip he brushed between her and Esposito and walked off down the hallway. The two stood there awkwardly before Kate headed off to find an evidence bag.

Rick literally ran into Lanie as he swept out the front door. He grabbed her by the shoulders to keep from knocking her over.

"Hey Castle, what's the rush?" She asked.

He kept his brow furrowed for show.

"Sorry, gotta go," was all he said to her and took off at a fast clip down the sidewalk.

Lanie went inside the house and was met by Esposito in the living room.

"What's wrong with him," she asked, looking to Javier for answers.

"Mom and Dad were fighting again."

"What! Damn, I thought things between them would get better not worse."

"I know. You need to talk to her now…we need to know what's going on. I'll pull Ryan out of the room and let you do your thing. Maybe you can coax something out of her."

"All I can do is try," she squeezed Javier's hand and headed to the bedroom.

Try as she may Lanie couldn't get past the brick wall Kate had thrown up after Castle had left. She would only talk about work.

When they were done with the crime scene, Kate headed out to her car to sit alone and read the text message Rick had sent her while he was holed up in the bathroom.

_Don't tease like that...We'll get caught… Did you like the ring tone?… You see their faces!...lol… Call me later…Miss you already…Can't breathe…I'm dying…Help!_

Kate laughed, shook her head, and hit save before she drove back to the precinct.

…

_Tuesday_

Tuesday morning came and went with no Castle and no coffee which meant once again Beckett was on a tear. Ryan and Esposito were relieved when she sent them off to canvass the vic's neighborhood. They usually hated that line of work, but not today. Anything was better than sitting around and becoming the focus of her wrath. She called them back to the precinct around noon. She wanted their report and she had a possible lead for them to pursue. They stopped at the roach coach parked outside the building to grab some lunch. They also grabbed something for her; they didn't want her mad and hungry. The gift of lunch seemed to appease her anger and they eased into a congenial conversation about the case. Everything seemed to be taking a turn for the better, until he showed up. Ryan was cleaning up the trash from lunch when the elevator dinged. He looked over and saw Castle exit as the doors slid open. He kicked Javier's leg (a little too hard) to get his attention.

"Ow! What was…" he looked up in time to see Ryan slicing his hand under his neck to shush him, as he cut his eyes towards the elevator.

Too late, Kate had seen the Laurel and Hardy act.

"Will you guys grow up?" I can see the elevator from here."

"Good afternoon everyone!" Castle greeted cheerfully, like yesterday never happened.

"Hey…what's up?" Ryan asked carefully.

"Nothin' much…ooh it looks like I just missed lunch, good thing too because the lunch I just had a Remy's was so much better than that crap."

"Nice of you to finally grace us with your presence," Kate zinged back, parrying his lunch remark.

"Well, I wanted to make sure I was presentable today, as you took offense to my attire yesterday."

"It's an improvement. Why don't you grab me a cup coffee and I'll fill you in on the case," she smiled up at him.

"Ok." He smiled back and headed for the break room.

Kate waited till Rick was busy making her cappuccino then stood up grabbed her coat.

"Let's go," she ordered the guys as she hurried to the elevator.

They had no choice but to follow. They filed into the elevator and as they turned around they could see Castle coming out of the break room cup in hand. He looked shocked when he saw them standing in the elevator..

"Hey!" He called out. "Where are you going?"

"We're going to do our job!" Kate called back as she reached over and pressed the button to the lobby.

As the door closed they could see Castle angrily kick his chair out into the aisle.

Kate sent the guys on their way and headed to her car. She pulled her phone from her coat pocket and began texting. Rick was heading out of the precinct when his phone began to vibrate. He looked at the message on it and smiled.

_Nice touch with the chair _:p

….

_Wednesday_

Rick showed up early at the precinct and found himself disappointed again. Ryan was the only one in the office.

"Where is everybody?" He asked, sitting down in the chair next to Ryan's desk.

"Beckett took Esposito with her a half hour ago to make an arrest in the case."

"So," he asked, "who was it?"

"The boyfriend," he answered reluctantly. Ryan noted that Castle could have gloated, but he didn't.

"What she got you doing?" Rick asked.

"I got stuck with the paperwork. Everything has to be filled out properly so the DA can file murder charges."

"Let me help," Rick offered.

"You can't do that."

"Why not, I do Kate's all the time…oops," Rick threw his hand to his mouth trying to put back the secret.

"No way."

"Come on Ryan, how do you think she finishes her paperwork so fast, speed writing? Here, let me try, I bet I can do you too." He paused and shook his head. "That definitely didn't sound right," he said as he grabbed one completed form and one uncompleted form from Ryan and took them to Javier's desk. He returned ten minutes later with the blank form completed.

"Check it out," Rick said, handing him the form back.

Looking at them both, he couldn't tell which one was his.

"Dude, how do you do that?"

"It's just a natural talent I have."

"Well if you ever need a new job you could always switch to forgery."

They shared a laugh and Ryan shared his paperwork. They knocked out all the forms before Beckett and Esposito returned. They headed to the break room for some coffee and Rick spent the time talking about the new woman in his life. Ryan squirmed uneasily as he listened. He felt like Castle was cheating on Beckett. Of course there was no them, especially after the past few days, there would never be a them. He eventually gave in and congratulated Castle on his new found happiness. Engrossed in conversation they never noticed Kate and Javier returning with their prisoner. Kate deposited the prisoner in interrogation room three before heading to the break room. She stood outside the door for a minute, listening in before speaking up.

"Are you girls done gossiping? There's work to be done."

Ryan could feel the ire coming off her in waves.

"Paper work is all done," he quickly proffered trying to abate her wrath. It just made it worse.

"Done, already? I'm amazed at how you finished so fast." She placed her hands on her hips and glared at Castle. She pointed at Ryan.

"You, out," she hitched her thumb in the direction of the bullpen. "You, stay!" she glared at Castle.

The ensuing ruckus from the break room had everyone in the bullpen stopping to listen. Bits and pieces of their "conversation" floated out.

"I don't care if you were just trying to help! It's his job; he needs to be the one to do it!"

"…double standard!" Was all they could hear from Castles retort.

Their voices dropped before they heard the end.

"Fine!" She yelled.

"Fine! He yelled back.

Rick exited the break room and headed straight for Ryan's desk. He grabbed the stack of finished paper work off the desk and began leafing through it.

"She wants me to tear up my work," he whispered to Ryan.

"I can't tell which are yours!" Ryan whispered back too loudly.

"I can't either, just help me find a few of the simpler forms and I'll make a show of tearing them up."

Together they pulled out about five of the forms and Castle made a big production of tearing them up. He then called out to Kate.

"Is this good enough, or do I need to put them through the shredder!"

She didn't reply. She only glared at him as she stood and headed into the interrogation room.

Castle hung out with the guys and made small talk until Kate emerged from the room and gave her suspect to a uniformed officer to take down to booking to be processed.

Rick caught her eye and couldn't resist another dig.

"I told you it was the boyfriend!"

She just turned and walked away, heading towards the break room.

"Dude, not cool, she's going to kill you one day." Ryan admonished.

"Nah, she's all bark and no bite."

Esposito felt it was up to him to keep the peace.

"You guys want to go to lunch? Its eleven thirty and the case is wrapped up."

"Sure," Ryan said, eager to leave the battlefield.

"I'll pass," Rick said. "I have plans already."

And as if on cue, the elevator dinged and out stepped the woman Castle had become enamored with.

The woman's eyes lit up as Rick rushed to greet her. He escorted her over to meet the guys.

"Sophie this is Detectives Ryan and Esposito." Guys this is Sophie Petropoulos, she's the wonderful woman whom I can't seem to stop talking about." He leaned down and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Stop it Rick, you're making me blush in front of your friends." She said squeezing his arm playfully.

The guys noticed she had an accent, but neither wanted to be the one to ask her about it. Kate wasn't shy though. She had quietly returned and was standing behind the guys. They never noticed she was there, that was until she pushed her way between them with her hand outstretched.

"Hi, I'm Detective Beckett, nice to meet you! It's always fun to meet another friend of Rick's, though not many of Rick's friends have accents. Where are you from?"

Ryan and Esposito visibly took a step back to distance them from what was happening. Sophie shook Kate's hand enthusiastically.

"I was raised in Greece, but I have lived in the states for fifteen years. I became a citizen two years ago. I was so hoping I would get to meet you. Rick has told me all about you. It's a thrill to meet the real Nikki Heat after I just finished reading Rick's book."

"And I'm thrilled every day that he gets to work with me," Kate answered sharply.

Rick quickly glanced at his watch. "We had better get going dear, we have a reservation in ten minutes at Le Bernardin and we don't want to be late."

"I'm sorry you have to leave so soon. I could tell you some stories about this man that you wouldn't believe." Kate snuck in one last dig.

"Oh well, maybe another time, it sounds like fun." Sophie waved goodbye as Castle pulled her to the elevator.

"Bye guys," he said as he waved over his shoulder to them.

Once the elevator doors closed, both Ryan and Esposito let out the breaths that they had unconsciously been holding. They both looked to Kate but she was already walking away. They watched as she disappeared into the ladies room.

Once she was in the bathroom, Kate removed a small eye drop bottle from her pocket. She had tweaked the saline solution with a formula Rick had told her about. It was a trade secret of his mothers that was used by actors to make them cry or to make it look like they'd been crying. She hurriedly squeezed some drops into her eyes before someone could catch her.

Crap! No wonder this stuff made you cry…her eyes were stinging like hell. She let the tears stream down her face until the burning sensation ceased. She wiped them away and looked into the mirror. The effect was perfect. It looked like she had been bawling her eyes out. They were all red rimmed and bloodshot. She waited a few minutes more before she headed out. She made a bee line for her desk and sat down pretending to be engrossed in her computer. It wasn't long before Ryan came over with the amended stack of paperwork.

"It's all finished…by me," he added.

Kate didn't look at him right away. She put her hand to her mouth and furrowed her brow, pretending to be upset. When she did look up at him she could see the shocked look register on his face.

"Why don't you take it in to the captain," she said as she stood up and removed her coat from the back of her chair. "I'm not feeling well…I think I'm gonna go home." She didn't wait for a reply. She hurried off towards the elevator, waving off Esposito as he tried to speak to her. Once in the elevator she pressed the button but never turned around.

Ryan and Esposito watched, dumbfounded as her hand reached out to the wall for support and her head hung down. The doors slid closed on a visibly upset Kate Beckett.

In the elevator, with her back to the guys, Kate was looking down at her hand reading the newest text message Rick had sent her.

_I wish I had bought a spy cam for this …the looks on their faces again! I hope they'll still talk to us when this is over. See you tonight. Love, WriteRboy _

It's amazing how much laughing can look like crying from the back.

Esposito looked back at Ryan. He was just standing there, eyes wide, mouth open and his arms held away from his sides. His began to shake his head in disbelief at the culmination of the last three days.

"What the hell! Did you see that? Was she…?" Esposito wanted answers as he approached his partner.

"Yeah," Ryan replied him numbly. "She was crying. Beckett doesn't cry. She never cries. This is bad…we need to talk to the captain, now."

They busted in on the Captain while he was speaking on the phone and he flashed them an angry look. He was quick to admonish them when he finally hung up.

"What the hell do you two think you're doing barging into my office?"

"Sir, its Beckett." Ryan replied.

"What about Detective Beckett is so important that you need to forget the proper procedures for entering my office?" Montgomery's voice began to rise as he spoke.

"She was crying," said Esposito.

"What?"

"She was crying," Ryan repeated.

It was Montgomery's turn to look shocked. "Close the door and sit down," he said as he leaned back into his chair. "Now tell me what happened."

Ryan and Esposito took turns filling the Captain in on everything that had happened between Beckett and Castle over the last three days.

"What I want to know," the Captain questioned, "is why it took you guys three days to let me in on what was going on?"

"Well sir," Esposito spoke up first to take responsibility, "it kind of caught us off guard. They've fought before with no residual damage done. We thought this time was no different, but now that I look back on what was said…I think it's irreparable this time."

"You think so…Detective?" Montgomery's anger flared out. He saw the looks on their faces and quickly apologized.

"Sorry guys, it's not your job to babysit them. Aside from holding an intervention, there's not much we can do here. They seemed bound and determined to screw things up for themselves. The best we can do now is to call another meeting and try to get everyone perspective on what's happening. Esposito get with Lanie; find out what evening is best for us to meet back at her apartment. Let me know and then I'll call James and Martha and tell them what's going on and when we'll meet."

Esposito headed off to talk to Lanie and Ryan stayed behind in the captain's office to hand in the finished paperwork he'd been holding. Esposito soon returned with Lanie's options and the phone calls were made. The soonest everyone could coordinate to meet was Friday night. All they could do now is keep their eyes and ears open for anything new to happen and wait.

…..

_Thursday_

The next day was uneventful for the most part, seeing as Castle never showed and Kate had called in sick, a first for her. The only point of interest for the day was the write up on page six of the paper. One of New York's most eligible bachelors was now off the market. The article noted that Sophia Petropoulos, daughter of publishing magnate Milos Petropoulos was seen spending every day for the past five days on the arm of the noted author Richard Castle. There was even and accompanying picture of the couple holding hands outside Remy's.

"Do you think Kate gets the paper?" Ryan asked Javier as they both leaned in together to read the article.

"Do you think it really matters?" Javier replied.

….

_Friday_

For Ryan and Esposito, Friday was the last nail in the coffin. Beckett was back to work, but she was moody and quiet so they left her to herself as she kept busy with paperwork.

The guys half heartedly worked on a cold case just to pass the time, always keeping one eye on Beckett. An hour into their morning, they heard her phone ring. They watched her pick it up, look at the caller ID and set it back down unanswered. It rang four more times before Kate stood up and grabbed the phone; she turned it off, slammed it down on her desk and headed off to the bathroom.

Damn it, I hate this!" Esposito cursed. He was frustrated that he could do nothing.

Ryan's phone went off. He looked at it, then at Javier.

"Don't answer it; let it go to voice mail." Javier said angrily.

They sat there and waited for the phone to beep with a message. It beeped.

Ryan hit send to access the message and put it on speaker phone for them both to hear.

_Hey Ryan, I've been trying to reach Beckett this morning with no luck, so I thought I'd try you. Since no ones answering I have to assume you're on a new case. That's why I'm calling. You can count me out. I'm leaving for the Hamptons. I'll be there for a while…writing. So…ah… see ya'll around…maybe. Bye. _

Ryan spoke first.

"That sounded like he's not planning on coming back_._"

It was a few seconds before Javier looked up and noticed that Beckett was standing behind them.

"Kate," he said worriedly. He noticed that she hadn't been crying in the bathroom again, but she looked on the verge of it now. He made a move towards her, but she took off down the aisle, grabbed her coat and headed out the back stairway.

"Shit!" That was all that he had left to say.


	21. The Invitation

**The Invitation**

_Wednesday Night_

Kate was fast asleep when Rick finally snuck into her apartment. He had spent all day and well into the evening with Sophia at the trendiest places to see and be seen. He wanted to make sure he would make it on to page six of Thursday's edition. His head spun and his back ached. Good lord, when had having fun become so much work? Sleep, he needed sleep. Sleep in the arms of the woman he loved.

He undressed in the living room, not wanting to wake her. He carefully opened her bedroom door, quietly crossed the room and nimbly slipped between the covers. Kate may have been asleep, but she was a light sleeper. She was awake as soon as her front door creaked open. She just lay there waiting for him to join her. When he slipped his arm around her, she spoke.

"Rick."

"Mmmm," he replied as he nuzzled the back of her neck.

"You smell like a cheap whore."

The smell of cigarettes and alcohol from the club lingered on his breath in his hair and on his skin.

"I'll have you know I'm a high class whore."

"You may look high class, but you smell skanky, go take a shower."

"Sorry," he apologized. "I was so tired and I didn't want to wake you with the noise." He tried to settle in to her but she pushed him off.

"Well I'm awake now so please go shower or I'll make you sleep on the couch."

He wined, but got up and headed to the bathroom. For someone who was too tired to shower, he sure stayed in there a long time. She finally heard the water stop and her hairdryer start. A few minutes later he returned to her bed all warm and clean and naked.

"Much better," she said. "What took you so long in the shower?"

"I fell asleep standing up…I am so tired," he draped his arm heavily across her body.

"What's the matter," she teased, "all the party gone out of the boy?"

"I am so through with that scene," he said pulling her in tighter. "I just want to be here with you, growing old together."

"What, I'm not ready for old," she protested. "Do I need to trade you in for a younger model already?"

"I'll show you young…," he said wrapping his leg around hers, "…in the morning"

He relaxed into her back and quickly dropped off to sleep. With a contented sigh, she soon joined him.

….

_Thursday_

Kate felt guilty about calling in sick. She had never missed work before, but seriously considered doing it more often if it meant a repeat of the all day sexcapade they enjoyed in nearly every room of her apartment.

Rick woke her early with his promise from the night before. Physically exhausted afterwards, they slept for another two hours before Kate extracted herself from his embrace to take a shower. She was washing her hair when he stepped in behind her. They were soon christening the walls of her shower.

They managed to keep their hands off each other long enough to make breakfast. He puttered around in her oversized bathrobe and his socks and she in her favorite cotton nightgown and slippers. He was surprised to find real food in her house as they set about making veggie omelets with toast and of course coffee. Rick grabbed the morning paper from her doorstep and they laughed over the write up of him on page six while they ate their food. When they finished Kate dumped all the dishes in the sink to clean up later. Today was about spending time with him.

Rick made a place for her on the couch. She settled in between his legs and leaned back into his chest. There they remained for hours watching daytime television, that was until he put it on Sportscenter and she had to protest. Watching a game was one thing, but watching people talk about what might happen in a game…that, she told him, was a deal breaker. He refused to change the channel and held the remote over his head away from her grasp. She made a dive for it and he lost his grip, it clattered to the floor behind the couch. She turned quickly and reached behind the couch to pick it up. That's when he noticed she wasn't wearing any underwear. He grabbed her before she could grab the remote. It didn't matter. She soon found something else to grab.

Hot and sweaty, Kate crawled off Rick and left him lying exhausted on the couch. They both needed to cool down so she headed to the fridge for some bottled water. As she opened the door he called out to her from the living room.

"Now would be a good time to show me that trick of yours with the ice cube!"

She returned to the living room and handed him a cold bottle.

"I'm saving that for a special occasion," she said taking a long swig from her bottle.

"Come lay back down," he said patting his chest. "I feel naked without you."

"That's because you are naked."

"See." He smiled up at her.

She reached her hand down to him instead. "Let's go back to bed, it's more comfortable there."

'I seriously doubt if I can walk," he said as he grabbed her hand.

Back in the bed they soon found themselves drifting off into a late afternoon nap.

Rick awoke several hours later. The omelet he'd eaten at breakfast was gone and he was ravenous. He left her to sleep while he went to make them something for lunch. Or was it dinner, hell what time was it. He hadn't a clue. He found the makings for sandwiches in the fridge and dug in her pantry for some bread. He never found the bread but he did find a Kiss the Cook apron hanging in the closet. Now that…he had to wear. He put it on and then set about making tapas.

Kate awoke and found herself alone. She heard noised coming from the kitchen and went to investigate. She found him hard at work preparing something to eat wearing nothing but that silly apron she had received as a gag gift last Christmas. Seeing him dressed like that made her hungry…but not for food, she snuck up behind him and pulled loose his apron strings.

"Hey…I'm trying to work here." Rick protested, waving the knife in his hand. It fell to the counter when she slid her hands under the apron and grabbed him.

"I'm just trying to help," she said as she leaned her naked body into his.

When she loosened her grip, he spun around, lifted her by her waist and set her on the counter where he had been working. She wrapped her legs around him and drew him into a passionate kiss. Dinner was served.

Later in the shower, they laughed hysterically when Rick found a slice of pickle and a piece of lunch meat stuck to her ass.

…..

He waited until the sun went down before he left her apartment, less chance of being seen leaving her place. They both hated to part, but he needed to get ready for the next phase of their scheme.

Rick had made it a point to avoid his mother for the most part of the week. He knew she was dying to chastise him about his lifestyle and his new "lady friend", but he wanted her to stew for a while before they had their confrontation. Tonight was the night.

He announced his arrival when he opened the front door.

"Hey guys, I'm home!"

There was no reply. He knew someone was home, the TV was on and he heard noises from the kitchen. He shut the door and wandered in. He found his mother and daughter sitting at the bar having dinner. They were ignoring him.

"What did I do now?" He asked.

Alexis cut her eyes at him and Martha threw up her hands in disgust.

"Really Richard, like you have to ask."

"What…I've been keeping in touch. You've been getting my texts haven't you? It's not like I fell off the face of the earth or anything, I've been around."

"Around somewhere in New York, not around here," she admonished.

"Come on…you guys don't need me babysitting you. Alexis is seventeen not seven and you're…" he waved his hand at her to get her to fill in the age. He knew the mention of her age would get her to back off a bit.

"That's…not the point," she spoke a little flustered.

"Well then, what is the point mother?" He pushed her a little more.

Alexis looked at the two and decided it was time to make a hasty retreat.

"If I don't need to be her for this, I'm going to my room." She announced.

Rick held her arm before she could leave and pulled her into him for a hug.

"I'm sorry sweetie, I love you. I'll be up to talk to you in a minute," he kissed the top of her head and let her go.

Martha busied herself with the dishes till Alexis disappeared upstairs and then she struck out.

"Just what in the hell are you playing at?" she squared up on him.

I'm not playing mother."

"What is with that article in the paper, who is that woman?"

"She's…someone special."

"Someone special! What about Kate?"

"What about her?"

"You're the one who said it wasn't about the books anymore. I thought you had decided she was the one worth waiting for."

Yeah…well…that's a long wait for a train don't come," he sighed and sat down in one of the barstools.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"Last weekend pretty much did us in."

"What happened?" She reached out and held his hand to comfort.

"What didn't, let's see…we got lost. That's when I was first introduced to that foul temper of hers. She ripped the GPS system off the dashboard and threw it into the back seat. And then, ,we almost get killed when the car konked out while were driving. We slid off the road and into a ditch, bustin' up one of the tires in the process. And that wasn't the worst part, the worst part was almost freezing to death in the back of the Escalade. When we finally got rescued, I tried to pay the tow bill, but they don't take American Express and she gets all pissed because she has to use her card. Now how is that my fault? A long ride in silence is so much fun and heaven forbid, never try to turn on the radio in her car, you might get shot. And then, how could I forget our lovely time at the center. Sleeping in the bathtub, getting ridiculed by her in front of a bunch of strangers and then there was the _piece de resistance, _the therapy session. I pour my heart out to her and she just walks away. I confronted her later in our room. That was a bad idea. I thought I was going to have to walk home for a while there. And let's see…what else, oh yeah, the food was crap. I think that about sums it up."

"Oh Richard!" Martha said, throwing her arms around him. "I'm so sorry."

"It's ok mother. I think it was a good thing I got that reprieve and was able to go through what I did. Now I can move on with my life. Which reminds me, I'm going to the Hamptons for a few days."

"But we haven't seen you for most of the week!" She complained as she pulled back.

"I know, but I want to finish this Nikki Heat book while I still can. Then I can put this character to rest and truly get on with my life. I can't do it with this book hanging over me."

"Are you sure about what you're doing?"

"Believe me when I tell you mother, I'm very sure."

"Ok then, I think we can survive a few more days without you, but don't take too long, we miss you and we're here for you."

"Thanks," he said pulling her back into a hug. "I love you too."

The last remark had Martha raising an eyebrow.

….

He gently knocked on Alexis' door before he let himself in. A lot of good it did, she had her earbuds in and was listening to her ipod. He walked up beside her and pulled one out.

"Let's talk," he said sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"What happened with you and Kate dad?"

"Nothing happened," he wasn't going to play his daughter.

"Come on dad, I'm not a child. I know something happened. You can tell me."

"All grown up now, huh?" He said as he tilted her chin up so he could see her eyes. "Well, if you're so grown up I need you to do something for me."

"Ok," she said a little too hesitantly.

"Trust me."

"What?"

"Have I ever let you down? Aside from not getting you that pony you wanted when you were six, have I ever let you down?"

"No."

"Good, so I need you to just trust me when I say this will all work out for the best, ok?" He stared her down till she nodded in agreement.

"Thank you. You may return to your music now," he said dangling her earbuds in front of her face. He stopped at her door and turned around.

"Hey," he said before she could plug her ears. "I almost forgot, I'm leaving for the Hamptons tomorrow. I'm going to spend a few days there finishing my book."

"Dad, you know you're not going to write, you're going with page six," she shook her head at him, disappointed.

"Her name is Sophia, and no I am not going with her and I'll prove it. When I get back my book will be finished."

"Right," she rolled her eyes at his promise.

"Just remember what I said, ok? Trust me."

"Night pumpkin," he said as he turned to leave.

"Goodnight dad." She pushed her earbuds back in. She trusted him, but she didn't believe him.

….

_Friday Afternoon_

The knock on her door came as a surprise. She wasn't expecting anyone. She opened her door and found him standing there with a bouquet of red roses.

"What are you doing here?" She grabbed his jacket and pulled him inside.

"Well, hello to you too," he replied.

"You know what I mean; you're supposed to be on your way to the Hamptons."

"I am on my way; I just had to make a quick stop along the way to bring you these," he pushed the roses closer to her. "They'll remind you of me while I'm gone."

She accepted his offering with a comment as she leaned in for a kiss.

"After yesterday, I don't think I'll need reminding."

He tried to take the kiss a step further but she pried him off and went to put the flowers in the sink.

"The week ahead is about focus Mr. Castle. You need to focus on finishing your book. I don't want your deadline messing with our plans."

"It won't, I promise."

"You can goof off this weekend with Sophia and Tina but I need you to get to work when they leave on Sunday, is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am!" he gave her a mock salute and she laughed.

"I still can't believe she was so agreeable in helping us with this."

"I told you, she owes me. They both owe me. Being their pretend boyfriend during our junior and senior years at college while they kept their relationship on the down low was a hoot. Hell I even made it into both their families Christmas photo's one year, we had a great laugh over that one. We were inseparable, people at school used to call us _The Three Stooges."_

"Why don't I find that hard to believe?" Kate commented.

"This weekend will be fun; we couldn't hang out anymore once I married Meredith. She didn't understand our relationship. That should have sent up a flag, but I guess I had blinders on, anyway, I'm glad you're so understanding," he pulled her back in for another kiss.

"All I can say is, it's their loss. They don't know what they're missing," she kissed him back.

"Why thank you, thank you very much."

"Now will you go," she said shoving him towards the door. "You've got a book to write and I've got travel arrangements to make."

"Are you sure you can handle that, I mean I am the world traveler and all," he teased.

"Out!" she pushed again.

"Ok!" he said as his back hit the door. He tugged it open from behind and leaned in for one last kiss.

She kissed him and pushed him until he stumbled across the threshold.

"Go!" She ordered.

"It's your loss!" he called out as she closed the door behind him.

…

_Friday Night_

Everyone was experiencing the same odd sensation of déjà vu. Once again, here they all were huddled around the dining room table in Lanie's apartment. The mood this time, however, was somber and nobody wanted to talk. Captain Montgomery felt he should take charge lest they sit there all night.

"Ok people. We all know why we're here. We're here because we failed; we didn't just fail, we failed miserably. I spoke to Martha earlier today and she told me that Rick finally spoke to her about what happened. It wasn't good. It seems that everything that happened to them, from getting lost to breaking down made Kate angry and it sounds like she took it out on him."

"That's a fact," Javier concurred. "They've been bighting each others heads off all week."

"Yeah, but what I don't understand," Ryan queried, "…is how Beckett can treat Castle like dirt one minute and then cry over him the next?"

"All I know," Martha interjected, "…is that Richard told me last night that he opened up to Kate about how he felt and that she walked away. He can't take it anymore. Can you blame him?"

'No." everyone mumbled.

"I'm sorry guys." It was James' turn to speak up. "I'm the one who orchestrated this and it's all my fault, so if anyone is to blame, blame me."

"We don't blame you, we blame ourselves…we should never have meddled." Martha tried to assuage him of his guilt.

"I should have taken heed of the classic Romeo and Juliet before I ever started this charade." James lamented. "At least our characters didn't die."

"There's that." Alexis sighed.

"I think we should just leave them alone and get back to work or whatever it is we do," said Lanie. "We've done enough damage so let's not make it worse. No choosing sides, one over the other, they're not to blame for what we did, so no punishing them. Let's just get back to work."

"I agree with Lanie," said Montgomery. Let's leave them alone and just be supportive of them both. Most wounds tend to heal themselves."

"Sage advice," James said and they all agreed.

The meeting was adjourned.

…..

An eerie calm settled over the following week. Everything was as normal as could be expected. Castle was gone and Beckett was back to being her workaholic self. Still, everyone seemed to be waiting for the shoe to drop, and drop it did, on Thursday.

The latest write up on page six began floating around the bullpen. It wasn't much, it just said that Richard Castle and Sophia Petropoulos were seen vacationing in the Hamptons over the weekend. Ryan and Esposito were worried how Kate would react. If she saw it, they couldn't tell, she stayed in a genial mood all day.

What really surprised everyone was what came next. A bike messenger arrived at the precinct around ten o'clock with a package for Captain Montgomery. He signed for it and the guys lingered nearby while he opened it. He soon called them over.

"Here," he said. "These are for you two." He handed them a couple of envelopes with their names embossed in gold lettering on the fronts of the envelopes.

"What is this?" Ryan asked, staring at the envelope in his hand.

"Let's open them and find out," Javier said as he tore his open, Ryan did the same. The captain was also opening the one that he had also received.

"It's and invitation…from Castle." Ryan said.

Montgomery read his aloud.

"We are invited to the Old Haunt this Sunday for a private party. Food, fun and surprises await.

"Read what it says at the bottom," Javier said flashing his card.

"Attendance is Mandatory."

"What the hell is this? Ryan wondered.

"You know Castle, any reason for a party, it's probably his way of apologizing to everyone for last week's drama." Javier commented. "I'm in."

"Me too, his parties are always the best, especially his Halloween parties."

"I'll go." Montgomery said, looking at two unopened envelopes left in his hand.

"Who are those for?" Ryan asked.

"One's for Lanie and one's for Beckett."

"Are you sure you want to give that to her." Javier asked looking towards her desk.

"Yes I am, did you forget the part about not meddling anymore. She's a big girl she can decide for herself." He gave Lanie's envelope to Javier and took the other one to Kate. He handed her the envelope without a word and went back to his office.

Ryan and Esposito watched from their desks as Kate opened her envelope. They wondered what she was thinking as she pulled out the embossed card inside, read it and then placed it in her desk drawer. They wondered if she was going.


	22. The Finale

**The Finale**

Rick returned home from the Hamptons Friday evening to another cool reception. The girls were on the couch watching TV when he called out his greeting from the front door. He watched as his mother got up from the couch, gave him an icy stare and left the room. He approached Alexis with a perplexed look on his face and tried to lean in to kiss her on the cheek, only to have his motion blocked as she pushed her hand into his chest.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

She reached down to the coffee table and picked up the article she had cut out of Thursday's paper and shoved it into his face.

"This…she was only there for the weekend. The rest of the week I was by myself, so what's the problem?"

"You said you were going there to write."

"And I did, I fin…" Alexis cut him off.

"And what is this all about?" She asked waving the invitation he had sent her under his nose.

"I always like to celebrate when I finish one of my books, you know that."

"You said you were going to be alone, you promised." The look of disappointment in her eyes was almost too much for him.

"And I was alone…for the most part…and I finished my book, so it was a win, win for both of us"

"And just how is it a win for me?"

"I told you…trust me. Come Sunday night you'll see things differently, I promise."

"Why don't I believe you…oh yeah…because I don't," she sat back defiantly on the couch with her arms folded across her chest.

"Well you will come Sunday. I have a big announcement to make. So, you can stay mad at me till then. I love you," he said leaning down to kiss the top of her head since she wouldn't give him her cheek.

Alexis could only sit and wonder what his big announcement could be as she watched her dad grab his travel bag and saunter off to his room.

…

Rick and Kate were both a bundle of nerves on Sunday as they waited for six o'clock to arrive and the start of the party to commence. The number of texts and calls they had made to one another throughout the day had their fingers and ears hurting. Rick gave her one last call from the Old Haunt before people were set to arrive.

"Hey," she answered. "You ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready. I can't tell if I'm more nervous or excited. I can't wait to see their faces. I'm glad you agreed to let me put in the camera's. This is going to be worth watching again and again."

"I don't ever want any of them to forget this. It'll teach them not to meddle in our lives," Kate replied.

'Don't forget, you guys don't need to arrive till around eight o'clock and I'll text you when it'd time to come in."

"You don't need to remind me…I know the drill."

"Sorry, it's the nerves. I can't help it," he apologized.

"Not a problem," she said. "Now go, do what you do best and entertain the pants off our friends and I'll see you soon."

"Have I told you I love you lately?" He asked.

"No."

"I love you lately," he said jokingly.

"I love you too, you big oaf."

…..

To make sure everyone would come, Rick stated in his invitations that a car would be sent to bring his guest to and from the Old Haunt, making it harder for anyone to back out at the last minute. Five minutes till six and no calls had come. Everything was in place. It was time for the fun to begin.

Sophia was there with him as they waited for the first of the cars to arrive, and she was on his arm as he greeted his guests at the front door. Ryan and Jenny arrived first, followed by the captain and his wife. His mother and daughter arrived the same time as Javier and Lanie. The last to arrive was Patterson with his wife Susan.

He invited everyone to partake of the open bar and he helped the bartender set up their initial drinks. Done, he made a drink for himself and Sophia. He returned to the front of the bar and stood before his friends.

"I know some of you are wondering why I invited you her tonight so I want to announce that I have just completed my third Nikki Heat book and it is on the way to the publishers first thing Monday morning. I wanted to share it's completion with all of you who made it possible," he lifted his glass. "To my family," he toasted. "Having to put up with my moods while I'm writing."

"Or not writing!" Alexis chimed in.

"Thank you so much for that." he said sarcastically as everyone laughed.

"And I especially wanted to thank you guys at the Twelfth, because without you there would be no book. So here's to all of you," he lifted his glass a second time and took a long drink.

"So why an I here?" Patterson asked.

"I invited you here just so I could gloat." Rick smirked before he tossed back the rest of his drink.

"Thanks, thanks a lot," he had to laugh at Rick's honesty and so did everyone else.

Everyone took their turn congratulating him and they all pestered him about the title. He told them all that it was under wraps by the publisher and that he couldn't tell them because they didn't want it leaking out.

As the initial conversation began to die down, Rick excused himself and went to check on the kitchen to see how dinner was progressing.

Sophia quickly became everyone's focus and they all began to pepper her with questions. She was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed by the time Rick returned to her side. He slid his arm around her waist and kissed her on the cheek.

"You ready to kick some ass?" He asked her.

"Oh yeah," she smiled up at him.

"What's all this about ass kicking?" Javier asked as he witnessed the exchange between them.

"Sophia and I would like to challenge everyone to a game of darts." Rick spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear.

I'll take that challenge," Ryan eagerly spoke up. "You should know better than to challenge an Irishman in a bar to his own game."

"This is a couple's game, so you'll be playing with Jenny."

"She can hold her own." Ryan replied stepping up to Castle.

"Then let's go honey milk."

Ryan was embarrassed as both Javier and Jenny laughed at Rick's remark.

Soon everyone was jeering and cheering the playing couples. As the game progressed everyone couldn't help but notice how well Rick and Sophia got along. They were hysterical together and they soon had everyone in tears with laughter. They seemed like a couple who'd been together years not weeks.

Lanie pulled Javier over to one of the side tables after they lost their game.

"I hate to say this, but I like her," Lanie sighed as she watched them together.

"Me too," Javier replied.

"And I haven't seen him look so happy in a long time. I just hate the way things went with Kate. The girls gonna be kicking herself for letting him get away. Hell, I should kick her for letting him get away," she reached next to her and took hold of Javier's hand.

"Yeah," he agreed giving her hand a squeeze.

Rick and Sophia quickly made short work of their challengers and were down to playing their last couple, James and Susan when Rudy the bartender sidled up to Rick and announced that dinner was ready.

"You heard the man," Rick announced. "Let's eat!"

They returned to the main area of the Old Haunt where a large circular table had been set up just for the party. It was beautifully decorated with a white linen tablecloth, ornate silverware and decoratively folded napkins surrounded a set of fine porcelain plates with a decorative gold inlay around the edge. Gold embossed placards in front of each crystal water glass announced the seating arrangements. Sophia sat to Rick's right and his mother and daughter to his left. A bounty of appetizers awaited them on a large lazy susan in the center of the table. It quickly became quiet as everyone began loading their plates with samples of artichoke stuffed mushrooms, crab cakes, cheese sticks, stuffed jalapenos and pot stickers. When the conversation returned it was all about the food. Rick announced that the main course was to be surf and turf and that if anyone wanted just surf they should speak up. Alexis, Susan and Martha chose to have only seafood.

Beer and wine were offered along with the appetizers and soon everyone was in a jovial mood. The arrival of the main course was applauded and compliments were made. The four inch bacon wrapped center cut sirloin was tender and juicy and accompanied by sautéed jumbo shrimp, scallops and steamed crab legs. The sides consisted of spicy sesame green beans and a rice pilaf. The conversations began to slow as their bellies filled. Rick glanced at his watch. Only ten more minutes till eight o'clock. Not wanting the mood to die down too much he took a chance and made a quick exit to the bathroom to call Kate.

"You here?" He asked.

"Yeah, we've been outside about five minutes. Are you ready for us to come in?"

"Yeah, I don't want anyone too drunk on sleepy to miss out on this." He hung up and returned to the table for their arrival.

She hung up and turned to the others in the back of the limo. "Time to go," she said opening the door to escort them inside.

No one seemed to notice the three people enter, so Rick stood and invited them over.

"Hi guys, glad you could make it, better late than never I always say."

Everyone looked over at the front door and saw Kate and her dad standing there with an unknown woman. Everyone was shocked. Kate, dressed to the nines, escorted her father over to the table and the unknown woman brought up the rear. Rick moved to his right, grabbed an empty chair and put it in between Sophie and Ryan as Sophie moved her chair closer to Ricks.

"Tina, you can sit here," he said waving her over. He embraced her and kissed her cheek before he helped her into her seat.

He then moved his own chair over and motioned for Kate.

"You can sit here," he said to her while Kate's father grabbed an empty chair for himself.

"Thanks again for coming," Rick said, shaking her fathers hand before he sat down in his chair just behind Kate.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," he replied as a large grin spread across his face.

Everyone at the table watched what was happening with rapt confusion. He could tell they were all wondering what was going on. Their confusion turned to whispers and murmurings among one another. He clanged his empty wineglass with his steak knife to get their attention.

"May I have your attention please? I have a confession to make. The completion of my book was not the only reason you all were invited here tonight. I have a second more important announcement to make tonight and I am glad everyone could make it here in time to hear it." He had their attention now.

"Well, where to begin," he said rubbing his hands together nervously. "As you all know I have been married twice before and you'd think I'd be hesitant to do it a third time, but I suddenly found myself in love with the most amazing woman in the world," he smiled down at Sophie and took her hand in his. "She's smart, beautiful…funny, and best of all I know she loves me. So…I did something the other day that may or may not surprise some of you…and it is the reason I brought you all here tonight." He paused for effect and he could see the speculation in their eyes.

"I would like to introduce you all to my new wife. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you…Mrs. Richard Castle."

All eyes were on Sophie, so it took a moment before anyone noticed that Kate was standing at Rick's side. As he leaned in to kiss her on the lips, the entire table erupted at once. They broke from their kiss laughing. Kate's dad, Sophie and Tina were laughing and applauding while the rest of the table looked on dumbfounded, vocally questioning what just happened. They just looked back at their confused friends and held up their hands displaying their gold wedding bands. Rick could contain his joy no more. He pulled Kate into a hug and twirled her around once and dipped her into a long and passionate kiss. When they came up for air, they returned to the table to answer the barrage of questions being thrown at them.

Rick held up his hands to try and quiet them down. When that didn't work he put two fingers in his mouth and let out a piercing whistle. That did it, everyone quieted down, everyone except Lanie.

"Is this some kind of a joke!" She demanded.

"Oh it's no joke," Kate replied.

"And why am I supposed to believe you?"

"If you don't believe us you can read our marriage license, we had it framed and it's been hanging behind the bar all evening." Rick replied, he waved to the barman. "Hey Rudy, you wanna hand me that?"

The bartender took the framed document off the wall and brought it over to Rick.

"Thanks," he said as he handed it down to his stunned mother. She stared at it for ages before Alexis pulled it from her hands. She looked at it in disbelief before she passed it on. No one said a word till it had made its way around the table. Once again Lanie spoke for the group.

"Then who the hell is Sophia?"

Rick moved to stand between Tina and Sophie. He knelt down and put his arms around their shoulders.

"Sophie and her partner Tina here were my best friends in college. We've been hanging out the last two weeks catching up on old times. Why? You didn't think we were a couple did you?" He kissed Sophia on the cheek.

Lanie angrily narrowed her eyes at Rick as she punched Javier in the arm.

"Ow…why are you hitting me? He played us," Lanie glared at him this time. "I mean me…and Ryan," he changed his reply, quickly throwing Ryan under the bus with him.

"Why all the subterfuge?" Patterson piped up.

"You don't play a player Jim, we know all about the scenario you orchestrated for us two weeks ago." Rick replied as he stood up and returned to Kate's side, sliding his arm around her waist.

"So…you two are really married? My plan worked?"

"Yes!" they replied in unison.

The table erupted again. Martha stood up and embraced Kate. Crying as she hugged her.

"I'm so happy, and so mad. How could you do this to us?" She asked her son as she looked over Kate's shoulder.

"How could we…mother how could you…how could all of you?" He asked as he turned to confront his friends. "We almost did end it that weekend, but once we managed to get through the rough spot we realized we loved each other and that wanted to be together. I figured I'd better hurry up and marry her before she could change her mind."

It was Alexis' turn to stand and there were tears in her eyes as she approached her father.

"Do you believe me now, or are you still mad at me?" He asked.

"Yes, and No!" she cried. "I'm so happy for you dad." She hugged him tightly and he did the same as tears came to his eyes. Alexis pulled back from his embrace.

"Dad, why are you crying?"

"I guess I'm happy too," He replied wiping a tear away.

Alexis turned to Kate. "Make him stop Kate, he's embarrassing me."

"It's ok Alexis, he can cry. Only one of us can wear the pants in this family," she said hitching up her dress. Laughter and more questions ensued.

Martha brought up the fact that Kate was missing out on her wedding day, and that she should have a proper wedding.

"We've already planned to have a formal wedding mother because we figure you guys won't really believe we're married till you see us walk down the aisle and of course my public will demand it." Rick said with a quick wink and a twinkle in his eye.

"Don't remind me." Kate loathed the idea of being the center of a media circus.

"It'll die down soon enough," he reassured her.

"So when is the big day?" Lanie asked.

"We'll set a date once we get back. Maybe a couple of months from now, if I can make all the arrangements" Kate replied.

"Get back from where? Lanie didn't miss a thing.

"From our honeymoon!" Rick jumped back into the conversation. "I'm taking my wife on a six day seven night trip to the Bahamas, we leave tonight."

"Did you put in a vacation request that I don't know about detective?" Montgomery piped up.

"No," she replied. "But if you choose not to approve it, I will just have to resign…for the week." She put her hands on her hips to emphasis her defiance.

"You know I'm always trying to encourage you to take your vacation," he replied, flustered by the glares from everyone. "So go ahead…take two weeks."

More laughter ensued and Rick shook the Captains hand and thanked him for being so agreeable.

"So when are you guys leaving?" Alexis asked.

"Let's see," Rick said looking at his watch.

"Crap! Five minutes ago!" He looked over to Kate.

"What…are we running late?"

"Yes…we better go…now!"

They made quick hugs and handshakes all around with promises to call everyone when they arrived safely on the island. Rick had to pry Kate from Lanie's grip as Lanie cried happily for her best friend.

"He just can't wait to see me in my bikini." Kate spoke over her shoulder as Rick pulled her towards the door. Everyone watched as they walked and talked their way out.

"What you don't realize Mr. Castle is that everyone else on the beach will see me too."

"Did I say bikini…I meant muumuu."

"I am not going to the beach dressed in a muumuu!"

"That's ok; I'll just change our flight to Alaska when we get to the airport. I'm sure you'll look cute in a parka."

He protested loudly with "apples" as she grabbed his ear and pulled him out the door. Their friend's laughter followed them to their waiting limo.

Back inside a slightly tipsy Kevin Ryan grabbed his beer from the table and held it up high.

"A toast!" He announced. "To Rick and Kate!"

"To Rick and Kate!" They all replied in unison.

Ryan threw his arm around Javier's shoulders.

"Dude," he said with tears shimmering in his eyes. "This was the best party ever!"


End file.
